The buzz around the Carolina Panthers training camp this summer isn’t just about the new coaching schemes or even Bryce Young’s year-three growth. It’s about the receivers, all of them.
Carolina’s wideout room is crowded, competitive, and increasingly, commanding respect. And perhaps no voice carries more weight in that conversation than veteran slot receiver Hunter Renfrow, who wasted little time offering his opinion:
“It’s the deepest [receiver group] I’ve ever been around,” Renfrow told reporters following a practice in Spartanburg.
This is a statement from a guy who once stood in a Clemson wide receiver room with the likes of Tee Higgins, Mike Williams, Justyn Ross, Amari Rodgers, Deon Cain, and Ray-Ray McCloud, a group that helped power national title runs and flooded the NFL Draft with talent.
For Renfrow, that era at Clemson became the benchmark for what an elite receiver unit feels like: hyper-competitive, team-oriented, and brutally unforgiving. And now, he sees that same standard re-emerging in Carolina.
“We had all these five-stars at Clemson, and if you didn’t show up every day, you were gonna be out,” Renfrow said. “That’s how it feels here, everyone’s pushing each other. And that’s when you know something special might be building.”
Built to Support Bryce Young
GettyBryce Young’s Growing Confidence Starts at Wide Receiver
A year ago, Carolina fielded one of the least productive receiving corps in the NFL, lacking separation ability, downfield speed, and consistent route execution.
The result was another frustrating season for Young and an offense that sputtered from start to finish.
So the team used back-to-back first-round picks to bring in Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan, each offering size, speed, and playmaking ability.
They returned steady veteran Adam Thielen, added savvy pieces like Renfrow and David Moore, and uncovered young risers like Jalen Coker and Jimmy Horn Jr., both of whom have flashed early in camp.
Suddenly, the wide receiver depth chart feels less like a rotation and more like a gauntlet. “We have seven or eight guys that can comfortably go out there and play,” Renfrow said.
Raising the Bar
GettyThe Standard Is Rising in Carolina’s WR Room
After missing the entire 2024 season while battling ulcerative colitis, a serious condition that caused him to drop nearly 35 pounds, Renfrow’s football future was in jeopardy.
Now, after signing a one-year deal with the Panthers, he’s simply grateful to be competing again. “I think having an appreciation for being back out here… feel like I can run again, feel like I can go out there and have fun with my teammates,” Renfrow said.
That gratitude, paired with a room full of hungry receivers, has reignited his passion for the game, and added fuel to a position battle that’s already heating up.
And that intensity is showing up in drills, meetings, and reps. Renfrow, known for his route precision and football IQ, has already drawn praise from coaches for his polish and professionalism. But even he admits: this is a room where no one can coast, not even the vets.
And that’s the point. “It just pushes you,” Renfrow said. “It pushes you every day. I think the Bible talks about iron sharpening iron, and that’s what it is. And hopefully, we can do that every day and then the other people we have out there can see that and be inspired from that and make every day the best we can.”
That raises the floor, tightens the margins, and forces everyone to earn their place. But more importantly, it sharpens a young team’s edge. If that continues, Carolina will have the right environment to help quarterback Bryce Young finally thrive.
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