Former SEC Football and LSU standout Terrace Marshall Jr. broke onto the scene during the NFL preseason and excited fans immediately. Unfortunately, the rest of Marshall’s rookie season took a strange turn, and the potential that we were all excited about never came to fruition. What to make of Terrace Marshall Jr. moving forward? Find out today in our SEC Football Time Machine.
SEC Football Time Machine: LSU WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
PAST:
Terrace Marshall Jr. was an integral part of the LSU Tigers National Title run and was a dynamic playmaker in one of the most prolific offenses in SEC history.
Marshall Jr. was a big play waiting to happen during his college career as he averaged 15 yards per catch and scored 23 touchdowns over his final two years in Baton Rouge.
The NFL was captivated by the size, speed, and athleticism that Terrace Marshall Jr. possessed. Marshall ran a 4.4 40 and jumped nearly 40 inches on his vertical leap at his Pro Day.
There was no denying the talent of Terrace Marshall Jr. There was also no denying that Marshall had an injury history that gave some teams pause as we approached the NFL Draft. Terrace Marshall Jr. sustained various leg and foot injuries at LSU, which many believe ultimately led to his slide late in the 2nd round to the Carolina Panthers.
Joe Brady was his offensive coordinator during his time at LSU and was now the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers. Brady knew Terrace Marshall Jr. as well as anyone and implored the team to select him.
PRESENT:
After seeing the talent on display at LSU and during the preseason, it was baffling to see Terrace Marshall Jr. struggle the way he did during his rookie season. Marshall barely broke 100 receiving yards – ON THE SEASON!
Throw in a concussion and yet another foot injury, and it was a lost rookie season for Marshall.
FUTURE:
The most important question remains: “What do we make of Terrace Marshall Jr. now?”
When we look at the Carolina Panthers’ current situation, it’s not exactly a playmaker’s delight. Sam Darnold at quarterback inspires little to no confidence. Marshall Jr. remains behind D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson on the current receiving depth chart. Is it all doom and gloom for the once-promising receiver? Not exactly.
I was a big fan of Matt Corral coming out of Ole Miss, and if Corral has shown one thing, he is not afraid to sling the ball into tight spaces. Perhaps Corral will inject some much-needed firepower into this dormant offense.
The Panthers flirted with trading Christian McCaffrey this off-season, signaling that they may want to move to a more receiver-centric approach.
Don’t give up hope ye of little faith. Talent like Terrace Marshall Jr. doesn’t come around every day. If the Panthers offense can take a step in the right direction, I have to imagine that they make it a priority to get Terrace Marshall Jr. on the field early and often.