If DE Bryan Jean-Pierre eventually fails to stick with the Panthers, it won't be for a lack of effort. After graduating from William & Mary in 2011, he was unable to get a single invite to an NFL training camp. This is telling. In fact, when I looked at his junior and senior stats(see below), nothing stood out. Nothing. Then I went to the place where the rubber truly meets the road: Game film. Can you guess what I saw? Nothing. Did he make some splashes here and there? Of course, it's a highlight film. However, there was very little dominance, and that is something that I must see from a prospect who is coming out of a lower level of competition like the FCS. But there is hope.
Jean-Pierre has been working tirelessly over the last two years in order to fulfill his life long dream, and his efforts finally payed off when the Panthers gave him a call. This should be considered a small miracle given the fact that the odds of getting signed to an NFL contract in any form decrease dramatically with each passing year after leaving college. Jean-Pierre most likely caught the eye of a Panthers' scout or coach when he attended a regional combine in Atlanta.
Despite the fact that I presented a scathing review of what I saw on tape, Jean-Pierre seemingly possesses the will to succeed, and this is certainly a characteristic that can't be quantified on a stat sheet. Moreover, his unimpressive 2011 game film won't tell us anything about how much he's improved in the two years since graduating from college. This is the true wildcard that is just impossible to account for when predicting whether or not he gets a shot on the practice squad. Do I believe that Jean-Pierre will take the next step in his life-long dream of playing in the NFL? I wouldn't count on it, but I can promise you one thing. I'll be rooting for him every step of the way, and I have a feeling that you will too.
DE Bryan Jean-Pierre Junior And Senior Season Stats
Solo | Assist | Total | TFL | Sacks | QB Hurr | FF | |
2009 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
2010 | 13 | 17 | 30 | 4.5 | 2 | 2 | 1 |