In Round 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers chose Terrace Marshall Jr. from LSU with the 59th overall pick. Marshall officially put pen-to-paper on Thursday, agreeing to a four-year rookie deal with the Panthers.
According to sources, Marshall’s contract is worth $5.7 million. It also includes a $1.5 million signing bonus. He will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 campaign.
Offensive coordinator for the Panthers, Joe Brady, already has a connection with Marshall. He was his OC at LSU when they won the National Championship in 2019, beating Clemson. Brady was excited about the reunion.
“Not too many people are 6-2, 200-plus and run a 4.3, and are able to make plays on the ball like Terrace does,” Brady said, via the team’s website. “When the ball’s in the air, Terrace always finds a way to come down with it, and I think he showcased that every time he was on the football field. Not a lot of games but a lot of production. “There’s not a player that works harder and is more dedicated to his craft than Terrace.”
Marshall has had a long journey to get to this point. As part of the 2018 LSU recruiting class, he had been waiting to make his mark. In 2019, he became more of a factor in the lineup, catching 46 balls for 671 yards and an impressive 13 touchdowns. He was LSU’s third-leading pass catcher behind Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. In the 2020 season, Marshall was able to showcase his talents even more. He was higher on the depth chart and became the second leading receiver on the roster. Marshall had 48 catches, 731 yards and double figure touchdowns with 10.
Marshall was happy to land in Carolina because of his previous relationship with Brady. He also felt it was a very good fit.
“Definitely, with all of the opportunities that were given in this draft, with all the availabilities and the spots, I definitely thought that the Panthers were going to be one of the teams that could pick me,” Marshall said after the draft. “I’m here now, and I’m just grateful to be a part of this organization.”
The Panthers have a solid collection of receivers such as Robby Anderson and DJ Moor, which Marshall should fit into seamlessly. He will give them another weapon for quarterback Sam Darnold to use.
