The Panthers have selected cornerback Troy Pride, Jr. out of Notre Dame with the 113th pick in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Pride grew up in Greer, S.C. and played 45 games for the Fighting Irish. He recorded four interceptions and 18 pass breakups in his four seasons, with one of those picks and six pass breakups coming during his senior year.
While there were some projections Pride could have been selected earlier in the draft, the young corner is focusing on the positive.
"It's God's plan — I'm never in control of those kinds of things — so I'm OK with that," Pride said Saturday. "I didn't drop, I fell into the right place."
That's the NFC South, which has talented quarterbacks and wide receivers on all of Carolina's division rivals.
"I'm already setting myself up for that," Pride said. "I've always been working for the best and to have the best in our division — Michael Thomas, Julio Jones, Mike Evans, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and all those guys, Matt Ryan — it's going to be wonderful. You relish those opportunities, you relish that moment to compete against the best because, shoot, the cream's gonna rise to the top."
Pride's 4.4-second 40-yard dash ranked fifth among secondary players at the NFL Combine, and Pride was also a sprinter on the ND track team.
"I'm absolutely ready to run with anybody," he said.
View photos of Carolina's fourth-round draft pick, CB Troy Pride Jr., out of Notre Dame.
Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride Jr., plays against New Mexico during an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Sept. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
FILE- In a file photo from Nov. 2, 2019, Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride Jr., (5) celebrates the team's victory over Virginia Tech in an NCAA college football game, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Michigan's Will Hart (17) is tackled by Notre Dame's Troy Pride Jr. on a botched field goal attempt in the second half of an NCAA football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018. Notre Dame won 24-17. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride Jr. (5) breaks up a pass intended for Iowa State wide receiver Sean Shaw Jr. (2) during the first half of the Camping World Bowl NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
during game action between University of Notre Dame vs. University of Georgia at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Athens, Georgia.
Northwestern's Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman, right, dives for the ball but cannot make the catch as he is guarded by Notre Dame's Troy Pride Jr. during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Evanston, Ill. (AP Photo/Jim Young)
Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride Jr., left, tackles Ball State wide receiver Riley Miller during the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Stanford's Brycen Tremayne (81) makes a touchdown reception against Notre Dame's Troy Pride Jr. in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Stanford, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride Jr. (5) celebrates after getting a win over Iowa State in the Camping World Bowl NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Ball State wide receiver Corey Lacanaria, left, catches the ball against Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride Jr., during the second half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018. Notre Dame won 24-16. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
