Rookie minicamp for the Carolina Panthers is in the books after having the rookie class, undrafted free agent signings, and tryout players on the field for the first time working with the coaching staff.

General manager Dan Morgan absolutely crushed it during the 2026 NFL Draft and we finally got our first chance to see the new draft picks show out in the field, including some impressive plays by wide receiver Chris Brazzell II.

The player with the most intrigue, however, wasn’t one of the team’s seven draft selections. It was undrafted free agent quarterback Haynes King, who showed plenty of encouraging signs that already prove there’s more he can bring to Carolina than expected.

Carolina Panthers QB Haynes King shined on and off the field during rookie minicamp

King was a player the Panthers had on their radar for quite some time. He was one of the team’s Top-30 visits they brought into the facility and the process of actually bringing him to Carolina was outstanding work.

Now that he’s in the building, King got the opportunity to start showing off some of the traits that will make teams regret passing on him. Even before arriving to minicamp, however, it’s clear head coach Dave Canales was a big fan of King’s game.

“There’s a bunch of ways that you can effect the game as a quarterback – with your mind, with your arm, and your legs. He’s got a way that he’s able to find wins that way,” Canales explained. “It was great to see him in person. Just work around, coming off play-action, the bootlegs, and just certainly seeing the athleticism that he has in his body show up through his arm. Lot of zip, lot of pop, there. A guy that really did a great job in the classroom also.”

The unseen part is what really goes a long way. Joe Person of The Athletic noted that the first day of minicamp was a little sloppy on Friday. Before Saturday’s session, King reportedly got some of his teammates together for an organized walk-through in the parking lot. A great display of leadership that the coaches will take note of, even if they weren’t there to see it.

“He called it. We were just all trying to get together. First day, everybody was kind of MA’ing (missing assignments) a little bit. Everybody was a little rough,” Brazzell said. “He wants to be great. I want to be great. A lot of people want to be great. So he decided, he was like, ‘Man, we’re gonna go to the parking lot and do a walk-through.’”

Haynes King played six years of college ball. He was asked about his experience and maturity and how those things can help him. #Panthers pic.twitter.com/WU5S4cx0pR

— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) May 9, 2026

Taysom Hill comparisons might be downplaying what Haynes King can eventually bring to the Panthers

Going back to King’s athleticism, the Georgia Tech product was one of the more dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the league last season. Going into the draft, many wondered if the Taysom Hill route is in his future as a gadget player that can mix in as a pass and run threat behind the actual starting quarterback.

Speaking with reporters over the weekend, King finally addressed those comparisons and revealed he’s hoping to be much more than that.

“At the end of the day, everybody wants to play. Also, Taysom Hill, he’s a pretty good athlete and a pretty good ballplayer, as well,” King said. “But I feel like, in my confidence, that I can play quarterback at this level. So that’s my first goal is make it as a quarterback and do as best I can. But also, at the end of the day, if the team needs that, I’m down for it. But, first and foremost, I’m trying to make it as a quarterback.”

King certainly has a tools, mentality, and leadership to bring true value to the Panthers’ quarterback room. Carolina already adding a QB2 behind Bryce Young in Kenny Pickett, although on a one-year contract. In Year 1, the Panthers could scheme up some Taysom Hill-like packages for King before fully committing to him as a QB2 in 2027.