“He got the defense fired up with that one,” praised Horn on Tuesday. “And you know he made plays all throughout the game, so you know I’m excited for him.”
Thornton is still young, with the luxury of having two entrenched starters in his position group. Barring unforeseen circumstances or injuries, he has time to watch, learn, and give the Panthers a better glimpse of who he is and can be for this defense.
“I love seeing Corey Thornton show up like he’s been,” Dave Canales said Friday night following the Browns game.
“He puts himself in good position, you know, whether it’s a tackle or whether it’s making a play on the ball, Cooley’s doing a great job just teaching him technique, footwork and all that, he’s taking the coaching, he’s a natural football player and then he shows up physical in those moments, you know, and so, that was really exciting to see.”
There is still a lot the Carolina Panthers don’t know about Corey Thornton, but with every bit they uncover, the more it seems like they’ve found a gem.