South Charlotte Today

Chau Smith-Wade, a rookie for the Carolina Panthers, has been making notable strides in his first NFL season. Drafted in the fifth round from Washington State, Smith-Wade transitioned from playing as an outside corner to the nickel position during offseason workouts. Initially uncertain about this new role, he quickly adapted and began to show promise.

"I'm so much closer to the ball at nickel," Smith-Wade mentioned in his rookie diary. "I'm probably getting more action at nickel just because I'm either in the run fit or guarding a receiver."

The Panthers initially had veteran Troy Hill playing as their primary nickel but released him mid-October before Dane Jackson returned from injury. Smith-Wade and Jackson shared time on the field for two games before Jackson took over completely against the Giants and Chiefs.

"With the rotation that I've been seeing at nickel, me and Dane, I kind of look at it as I have an old head in front of me to be able to guide me throughout the nickel spot," said Smith-Wade.

Smith-Wade regained his starting position ahead of Week 13 against Tampa Bay. He played 62 percent of defensive snaps and recorded eight tackles, an interception off Baker Mayfield, and a pass defended.

"Chau took advantage of an opportunity," stated coach Dave Canales. "He made tackles; he owned his leverage for the most part... really proud of that."

Cornerback Jaycee Horn praised Smith-Wade's dedication: "Since he came in during OTAs, just really detailed with the way he attacked the day: meeting, practice, he takes a lot of notes."

Statistics support Smith-Wade's performance; he's one of only seven rookies playing slot corner this season with notable metrics like best quarterback pressure percentage (30 percent) and shortest time to tackle (5.25 seconds).

Reflecting on his transition from cornerback to nickelback, Smith-Wade acknowledged challenges but remained focused on improvement: "Coming from corner is rough... So just focusing in on the fundamentals."

Smith-Wade is part of a promising rookie class under coach Canales' guidance aimed at building experience through active playtime. Canales noted their progress: "So we're seeing these things pay dividends down the road as we continue to play."

Smith-Wade remains committed to learning and improving: "I would say my will to improve... That's kind of the thing about playing nickel."