Panthers select Stantley Thomas-Oliver III in seventh round

Apr 25, 2020 at 05:39 PM

Myles Simmons

The Panthers have selected Stantley Thomas-Oliver III out of Florida International with the 221st pick in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

After starting his college career at wide receiver, Thomas-Oliver switched to cornerback before his junior year and made 24 starts over his last two seasons. He was a 2018 All-Conference USA Honorable Mention in his first year at corner. In 2019, he was a second-team All-Conference USA honoree after recording eight passes defensed, an interception, 2.0 sacks, and 4.0 tackles for loss.

Thomas-Oliver said he first became a cornerback after jokingly covering his wide receiver teammates at practice, not realizing a coach was watching him. But then he made the switch, and called the process pretty smooth.

"It's just about buying into it, trying to learn as much as you can," Thomas-Oliver said Saturday. "And just as the coaches, as the teammates bring you along, just trusting them that they're leading you the right way adjust keep pushing."

Thomas-Oliver said that once he made the switch and started making plays in practice, his teammates would joke with him — never truly giving him credit for how well he played defense.

"Whenever I made a play or caught a pick, they'd be like, 'Oh, you know all the plays! You're cheating!'" Thomas-Oliver said. "They would never pretty much give me credit if I did something right, it was always 'You remember the plays that we used to run!'"

But now that he's been drafted, Thomas-Oliver's goal is to be on the active roster when the regular season begins. Making the team as a seventh-round pick can be an uphill climb, but Thomas-Oliver understands the path to get there.

"I know the first thing I would like to do is impact playing special teams," Thomas-Oliver said. "Special teams is one of the most important parts of the game. One good play, one bad play on special teams can determine a lot of the game. So I know that's a real critical part. So that's what I do it for."

Thomas-Oliver's selection completes the Panthers 2020 draft class with seven defensive players. That's the most any NFL team has taken in the common draft era, which started back in 1967. The club's previous selections were defensive tackle Derrick Brown, defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, safety Jeremy Chinn, cornerback Troy Pride Jr., safety Kenny Robinson and defensive tackle Bravvion Roy.

"It's a great feeling," Thomas-Oliver said of the historic defensive class. "I'm just ready to work and ready for the process to start beginning."

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FIU Athletics

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MIAMI, FL - NOVEMBER 2: FIU defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver III (21) watches as the play develops in the first quarter as the FIU Golden Panthers faced the Old Dominion University Monarchs on November 2, 2019, at Riccardo Silva Stadium in Miami, Florida.

Samuel Lewis

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West wide receiver Binjimen Victor, of Ohio State, (19) pulls in a touchdown pass in front of East cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver III, of Florida International University, (39) during the second half of the East West Shrine football game Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

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West wide receiver Juwan Johnson, of Oregon, (86) runs a route in front of East cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver, of Florida International, (39) during the first half of the East West Shrine football game Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

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Samuel Lewis

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Florida International University football player wide receiver Stantley Thomas-Oliver III (21) plays against Rice University on October 20, 2018 at Miami, Florida. FIU won the game 36-17.

Richard Lewis

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver does a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AJ Mast via AP Images)

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver does a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AJ Mast via AP Images)

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver does a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AJ Mast via AP Images)

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver smiles during the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 1, 2020, in Indianapolis. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)

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Florida International defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver runs the 40-yard dash during the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 1, 2020, in Indianapolis. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)