NFL draft picks Lee Hunter and Sam Hecht are set to showcase their skills at the Carolina Panthers rookie minicamp, following intense practices at the Senior Bowl. Their previous one-on-one encounters highlighted their athleticism and competitiveness.
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NFL draft picks Lee Hunter, Sam Hecht set to rekindle Senior Bowl practice intensity at Panthers rookie minicamp originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
If their battles during Senior Bowl practices are any indication, the interactions between NFL draft picks Lee Hunter and Sam Hecht should highlight the upcoming drill work during the Carolina Panthers' rookie minicamp this week.
Lining up for a one-on-one encounter last January, Hecht, a former Kansas State center, displayed nimble footwork, power and athleticism to deny Hunter, an ex-Texas Tech nose guard, from generating pressure.
Other offensive linemen in Mobile, Alabama, struggled to handle Hunter, who often worked his way into the backfield. Some analysts started debating whether Hunter deserved a first-round grade.
Against Hecht, though, Hunter was relatively contained.
Will that trend continue when the Panthers' rookies report to Bank of America Stadium's practice fields Friday for a three-day minicamp?
Lee Hunter plays as a nose guard, while Sam Hecht is a center.
Lee Hunter showcased his ability to generate pressure and often worked his way into the backfield, impressing analysts.
The minicamp provides an opportunity for Hunter and Hecht to demonstrate their skills and compete for roster spots with the Carolina Panthers.

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Hunter's Senior Bowl performance likely helped prompt Panthers general manager Dan Morgan to trade up in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft and select the 6-foot-3, 320-pounder with the No. 49 selection. Morgan envisions lining up the rookie run-stopper next to his NFL idol, Derrick Brown, and Tershawn Wharton/Bobby Brown II in the 3-4 base defense.
As he concluded his introductory teleconference call with members of the media on April 24, Hunter was asked about his attitude coming in as a first-year professional.
"They came and got me," he said. "They showed love and interest.
"I'm ready to run through a f------ brick wall for them."
On Friday, one of those walls could be Hecht, a fifth-round draft choice who some league insiders suggested could develop into one of the draft's shrewdest picks.
Competing in 759 plays last season, Hecht allowed zero sacks and quarterback hits and did not have one penalty marked off against him.
This week's NFL rookie minicamp officially kicks off the Panthers' offseason training activities, and the on-field battles between Hunter and Hecht could start a series of ongoing highlights.