Drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the 5^th round of the 2012 NFL draft out of Coastal Carolina University, the Panthers were not quite sure what they were going to get out of Josh Norman. Norman’s career at Coastal was a decorated one in which he played in all 12 games as a freshman, earning 7 starts in those contests. Norman’s breakout season came in his junior year at Coastal in which he earned the award of first team All Big South and ranked 5^th on the team in tackles. Norman’s senior year was one in which he was simply dominant, earning preseason All American and All Big South awards. He was also listed as one of the top 10 defensive backs in the nation; currently holding the record for interceptions at Coastal Carolina with 11 and pass breakups with 23. In Norman’s inaugural season with Carolina, he played in all 16 games, starting in 12 of them he was known as more of a solid tackler rather than a pass defender, recording 73 tackles and just one lone interception.

His sophomore season however, was much different. A lot of NFL players get cursed with the “sophomore slump” in which they tend to follow up their rookie season with a less compelling second year, Norman was no exception to this as he only played in 7 games in which he started in none. Norman’s 2014 campaign with Carolina he got back to his style of play again as he started in 10 out of 14 games in which he played making 48 tackles and recording 2 interceptions. His 2014 season seemed as if it would be his breakout season and that he may finally reach the potential that the Panthers had expected him to when they drafted him.

This NFL season Josh Norman has definitely made Panther fans happy as well as the front office earning the respect of many players throughout the league along the way. Some players have used the comparison of Josh Norman being this seasons Richard Sherman, one of the best defensive backs in all of football especially the last couple seasons. This is quite the compliment for the young corner as he has established himself as one of the dominant defensive players in the league helping the Panthers improve to 9-0 on the 2015 season. Norman has already recorded 31 tackles this year adding 4 interceptions with 2 of them being returned for touchdowns and a forced fumble to go along with all of those accolades. Norman is starting to make a name for him in the league and if he keeps his play up at this rate he could be a serious candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.