The Carolina Panthers have made solid strides in two seasons under head coach Dave Canales. He took over a club that finished with an NFL-worst 2-15 record in 2023, and the team has improved by three wins in each of the past two seasons.IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThanks to president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan, the franchise has added a nice blend of youth and veteran experience these last three offseasons. The Panthers still haven’t finished with a winning record since 2017, but an 8-9 resume was good enough to capture the top spot in the NFC South this past season.Earlier this week, Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports did a very unique breakdown of 50 under-the-radar performers with the start of the NFL regular season less than two months away. He separated them into a half-dozen different categories, the last six under the title “supporting a star.”Panthers’ WR Jalen Coker and CB Mike Jackson are emerging playersIMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThis past season, Canales’s club got big years from the eighth overall picks in both the 2021 and 2025 NFL drafts. The team also received significant contributions from their counterparts at the position. And both surging wide receiver Jalen Coker and unsung cornerback Mike Jackson were very effective down the stretch and in the playoffs.“While Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan got plenty of deserved praise last year,” explained Pereles, “Coker continued to impress as a big, strong outside wide receiver who excels in contested-catch situations. He had nine catches for 134 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers’ wild-card loss to the Rams…”Panthers’ WR Jalen Coker played his best football late in 2025— SleeperPanthers (@SleeperCarolina) May 5, 2026McMillan led Carolina in catches (70), receiving yards (1,014) and touchdown grabs (7) during his debut campaign. Meanwhile, Coker totaled 28 receptions for 378 yards and four scores in his final six overall outings. In his first six games in 2025, the former undrafted free agent from Holy Cross hauled in just 14 passes for 150 yards.On the other side of the ball, five-year pro Jaycee Horn finished tied for second in the league with five interceptions and was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl. However, Jackson—obtained from the Seahawks via trade in 2024—enjoyed a career year and was Pro Football Focus’ third-ranked cornerback in 2025.Underrated CB Mike Jackson was hot down the stretch last season— NFL (@NFL) November 30, 2025“The veteran cornerback,” added Pereles, “nabbed four regular-season interceptions (he had 3 in his entire career entering the year) and also picked off Matthew Stafford in the playoffs. Jackson’s 19 passes defensed were tied for the league lead…” It’s also worth mentioning that four of Jackson’s five overall interceptions (1 of those a pick-six of Stafford in the regular season) came in the club’s final seven overall contests.All told, the Panthers have an emerging wide receiving duo that made life easier for quarterback Bryce Young down the stretch, as well as one of the best cornerback tandems in the league. It’s safe to say Morgan continues to add talent to a roster that was sorely lack in this area not so long ago.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow