The Carolina Panthers have signed seventh-round draft choice (216th overall) Captain Munnerlyn from South Carolina, the team announced Wednesday.
A 5-8, 186-pound cornerback who also returned kickoffs and punts, Munnerlyn played in 36 games with 28 starts for the Gamecocks prior to entering the NFL following his junior season. He finished his career with 127 tackles, two sacks, five interceptions, 19 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in addition to averaging 22.8 yards on 33 kickoff returns and 7.6 yards on 37 punt returns.
Munnerlyn started all 13 games as a junior in 2008 when he recorded 44 tackles and five passes defensed to go along with an 84-yard kickoff return and an 81-yard blocked field goal return for a touchdown against Kentucky. He earned All-SEC first-team honors as a junior after producing 47 tackles, three interceptions and seven passes defensed. Munnerlyn becomes the first of the Panthers' seven draft choices to sign.
Also, Carolina has waived running back Markus Manson and cornerback Reggie Sullivan. Manson had been signed as an undrafted rookie free agent from Valdosta State on May 2 and Sullivan, who attended Johnson C. Smith, joined the team as a free agent on May 21.
