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Panthers still hoping for Brooks

Former second-rounder is finally healthy

For a late-round sleeper, how about Jonathon Brooks? Doctors say he’s ready to roll.

Brooks, as a refresher, would have been a first-round pick in the 2024 draft, if not for a torn ACL. In his final season at Texas, he averaged 6.1 yards per carry – just like Bijan Robinson had in the previous season.

Not that Brooks was ever quite in the Bijan class (he doesn’t catch the ball as well) but he’s a back everyone was excited. Despite the knee injury, the Panthers selected him in the first half of the second round.

That hasn’t paid off so far. Brooks carried the ball 9 times for 22 yards as a rookie before re-injuring the ACL. That kept him out for all of the 2025 season.

But Brooks is fully healthy now, with a real chance to maybe – knock on wood – carve out a real role in Carolina’s offense.

Chuba Hubbard should start for the Panthers. Rico Dowdle ran for 1,076 yards for them last year, but he signed with the Steelers.

Brooks doesn’t look like anything more than a flyer-type pick right now, but who knows? Frank Gore overcame multiple ACL injuries, going on to put together a long and productive career.

Time will tell. There have been 36 running backs chosen in the first round in the last 10 years (2016 to 2025). Thus far Brooks has been the least productive of those guys. All but six of the others have had at least one season with top-26 numbers (PPR scoring).

BEST SEASONS BY BACKS TAKEN IN FIRST TWO ROUNDS (last 10 yrs)
YearPlayerPkYrGRunRecTDPPRRk
2019Christian McCaffrey, Car.83161387100519471.21
2021Jonathan Taylor, Ind.41217181136020377.11
2024Jahmyr Gibbs, Det.12217141251720364.91
2018Saquon Barkley, NYG2116130772115385.82
2025Bijan Robinson, Atl.8317147882011376.82
2020Dalvin Cook, Min.41414155736117343.82
2016Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.4115163136316327.42
2023Breece Hall, NYJ362179945919290.52
2020Derrick Henry, Ten.45516202711417337.13
2022Josh Jacobs, L.V.24417165340012330.33
2021Najee Harris, Pitt.24117120046710300.73
2023Travis Etienne, Jac.25417100847612282.43
2021Joe Mixon, Cin.48516120531416289.94
2025James Cook, Buff.63417162129114308.26
2022Nick Chubb, Cle.35517152523913283.46
2021Leonard Fournette, T.B.451481245410255.66
2025Ashton Jeanty, L.V.611797534610247.111
2025Javonte Williams, Dall.35516120113713246.812
2025D'Andre Swift, Chi.35616108729910232.615
2019Miles Sanders, Phil.531168185096220.715
2022Kenneth Walker, Sea.4111510501659202.518
2020Ronald Jones, T.B.383149781658190.319
2025RJ Harvey, Den.6011754035612208.620
2025TreVeyon Henderson, N.E.3811791122110208.221
2020Clyde Edwards-Helaire, K.C.321138032975176.022
2021AJ Dillon, G.B.622178033137187.623
2024J.K. Dobbins, LAC555139051539191.824
2024Zach Charbonnet, Sea.522175693409186.925
2025Quinshon Judkins, Cle.361148271717169.826
2019Sony Michel, N.E.31216912947154.631
2018Kerryon Johnson, Det.431106412134141.433
2022Cam Akers, LAR523157861177145.334
2025Omarion Hampton, LAC22195451925135.735
2021Rashaad Penny, Sea.27410749486121.742
2019Derrius Guice, Was.592524579357.469
2024Jonathon Brooks, Car.4613222307.5114

—Ian Allan

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