NFL 2015 first-round preseason grades

<p>Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera was a linebacker so you know he loves his linebackers. He and the Panthers got Luke Kuechly No. 9 overall back in 2012 and wanted a parnter for him. And Shaq Thompson, a great athlete that also played some running back in college, was a playmaking 4-3 outside linebacker at Washington.</p> <p>So when Thompson was available at No. 25 overall, the Panthers surprised many draft experts and took him. He hasn’t been available to do much with a hamstring that kept him out for the first couple of weeks of camp. Then in the second preseason game against the Miami Dolphins, he saw his first action of the season.</p> <p>On the first play of the game, he blew up a running play for a loss by setting a hard edge. Then later in the game, he was in coverage on tight end Cameron Jordan and broke up the deep ball intended for him. Right now he looks like the playmaking 4-3 outside linebacker he was drafted to be so he and the Panthers get good marks here.</p>. OLB. Carolina Panthers. SHAQ THOMPSON. B