Nic Scourton is not hiding his homework.
The second-year edge rusher for the Carolina Panthers has spent this offseason deeply analyzing his own rookie tape. The footage is not kind. It is not meant to be.
"Hard lessons," Scourton said, describing what he learned from his 2025 film. Selected in the fifth round out of Texas A&M, he came into the NFL with the expectation of development, not immediate dominance. But the gap between where he was and where he needs to be is something he addressed head-on this spring.
"I learned a lot about myself watching last year," Scourton said. "What worked, what didn't. What I can build on, what I need to scrap."
Last season, Scourton logged rotational snaps over 17 games. While he was not a full-time starter, he gathered enough reps for the Panthers coaching staff to evaluate his raw tools, high motor, and areas needing refinement.
That refinement is underway now during the Panthers' organized team activities (OTAs). Scourton has been a consistent presence on the practice field, focusing on adding new pass-rush moves to his arsenal.
Most important in his development has been a mentor: Jaelan Phillips.
Phillips, a former first-round pick who was traded to Carolina this offseason, has five NFL seasons under his belt and 28 career sacks. Now lining up alongside Scourton in the Panthers' linebacker room, Phillips has been a steady voice guiding the young edge rusher since practices began.
"He's learning from Jaelan," Carolina's defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero said this week. "That's a huge benefit. Jaelan has been through it. He's seen the game at a high level. He's helping Nic see things before they happen."
The benefit goes both ways. Phillips, 27, came off a 2025 season where he appeared in 15 games and recorded seven sacks for the Miami Dolphins. He was signed by the Panthers in March 2026 as part of a front office effort led by general manager Dan Morgan to upgrade the pass rush. Pairing Phillips with Scourton offers the Panthers one starting-caliber edge rusher and one developing player eager to refine his craft.
Scourton isn't just absorbing advice; he's putting it into practice.
"I've got a couple of new moves I've been working on," Scourton said. "Things that complement what I already do. Jaelan has shown me some grips, some hand placement stuff, angles I wasn't taking before."
The Panthers' pass rush was a weakness in 2025. The team finished near the bottom of the league in sacks, consistently struggling to pressure quarterbacks. Evero's defensive scheme relies on generating pressure with four rushers or at least forcing the quarterback off his spot. The 2025 rotation fell short of that, placing focus on the development of players like Scourton.
If Scourton makes a foundational leap, the defense will become tougher to block.
"We're expecting the same leap from Cam as we expect from all of our second-year players," Evero said, referencing cornerback Cam Miller. The same applies to Scourton. Evero praised the linebacker's athleticism, agility, and work ethic.
"He's shown a lot of good things, certainly a very good athlete, good agility and quickness and speed for his position," Evero said. "He's certainly one of the hardest workers I've been around."
But hard work alone is not enough to earn pass-rush reps in the NFL. Technique is crucial. That's where Scourton's film study and Phillips' mentoring align.
The hard lessons from his rookie tape weren't only about mistakes. They were about process. Scourton noticed that his successful plays were those where he stayed disciplined with his hands and maintained his rush plan. Failures often came when he abandoned technique, relying solely on athleticism.
"You can't do that in this league," he said. "Everyone is athletic. You have to have a plan."
This spring, that plan involves focusing on mastering a handful of core moves rather than trying to perfect too many. Scourton is emphasizing his long-arm technique and a swat-chop hand move he's been drilling with Phillips. He's also working on his explosive first step to gain an edge right off the snap.
"You see the good ones -- they win before the tackle even gets set," Scourton said. "That's where I want to be."
While the Panthers are not practicing in full pads during OTAs, limiting full-contact pass-rush reps, the foundation being laid now is critical. Training camp, beginning in July, will reveal how much progress Scourton has made. Early signs are promising.
"Just really excited to see him be out there," head coach Dave Canales said about Scourton's OTA participation. The coaching staff views this offseason as an opportunity not just to maintain development, but to accelerate it.
"We're not slowing down for you," Canales emphasized. "You have to go. You have to study."
Scourton has taken that message to heart. He's been in the building early, staying late, making full use of resources. Besides Phillips, he has leaned on the defensive line coach and regularly meets with Evero to better understand the scheme.
The result is a player who looks markedly different than the one who took the field as a rookie. The physical tools were always there; now his mental game is catching up.
"He just understands the game better now," Evero said. "That's what happens when you put the work in."
For Scourton, the work is ongoing. In a pass-rush room that includes Phillips, Patrick Jones II, and Princely Umanmielen, competition for snaps will be fierce. But Scourton isn't fighting just to make the roster; he's fighting for playing time--and he's positioned himself well this spring.
"I want to be on the field," Scourton said. "I want to make plays. I want to help this team win."
The Panthers would welcome that. In a division with quarterbacks who can stretch the field and offenses built on quick-passing attacks, edge rushers who can consistently win one-on-one battles are highly valuable. Scourton doesn't need 10 sacks this season; he needs to be a consistent pressure player who makes quarterbacks account for him on every play.
That's the target. The path runs through the practice fields, the film room, and whatever Phillips teaches him next.
"He's learning every day," Evero said. "That's all we can ask."
So far, Scourton is delivering.