JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Panthers cornerback Chau Smith-Wade has had to/gotten to do a lot of things this preseason.

Friday night, he added flying to the list.

The third-year cornerback's leaping interception was one of the highlights of Friday's 34-17 win over the Jaguars, one that showed yet another of his skills.

"I had the guy and I kind of just wanted to bait him," Smith-Wade said with a grin afterward. " I kind of flew into the screen; that's what a lot of my teammates were saying."

Smith-Wade's play was also a function of seeing and processing a lot of information.

He admitted that when Jaguars quarterback Carter Bradley dropped back, he thought something else was coming before adjusting and making an athletic play, planting and driving a good six steps to get in front of Jags wideout Austin Trammel, and hands-catching the pass as he dove.

"I had a different play in mind," he said. "I didn't think that he would pivot back inside, so I kind of had to fly. I had to make a play to where I was flying into the screen because I had a different play in mind, so I floated off.

"And then once I saw the quarterback rolling out, I just kind of was trying to haul my butt over there to get him."

It worked, and he was mobbed by his teammates as he celebrated the play, and anything that happened before that moment left his mind.

"As a DB, we kind of have this mentality where you've got to be 'Next play,'" he said. "Me personally, I feel like the last play doesn't matter. You've got to constantly be in pursuit of perfect technique, play in and play out, and that's what I want to strive for. So, chasing it."

Getting turnovers was one of the keys head coach Dave Canales mentioned after the win, but for Smith-Wade, it was also a sign of growing versatility.

He played primarily on the perimeter in college at Washington State, but moved inside to nickel the last two seasons, since the Panthers had Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson outside. With Horn doing more in the slot this offseason, he's gotten to work outside again (where he was on the pick), in addition to some training camp work at safety.

"Really all preseason, in camp, in practice, Chau is a guy that we trust," Canales said. "A guy that has a lot of versatility. He was able to play some outside corner today. Then he got into the nickel, really had a great game against the Bills playing physically and getting communication really tied in with the safety. So the communication part is there, but it's great for Chau as he continues to stack reps and plays and experience.

"To see it coming before it happens, to make the jump and then finish with the catch and pop up and be ready for a return. I'm really proud of Chau, I love where he's headed."

He needs to make those kinds of plays, because he's in a competitive position group. They drafted a cornerback, Will Lee III, in the fourth round, and he's closer in physical profile to the Horn-Jackson model they want at the position. That has Smith-Wade, Corey Thornton, and Akayleb Evans among others competing for time in a talented secondary.

But the 5-11, 176-pound Smith-Wade has shown value and versatility, as he competes all over the field.

"I mean they've already been testing my versatility, so I just want to stay ready for whatever," he said. "Whatever they throw at me, I just want to stay ready.

"I think that the coaches kind of just see that I'm a football player, and being able to play those positions, they see that in me. So, if they see it, I guess they'll take advantage of it, and they kind of have been doing that."

And if they weren't aware of it, he flew into their screens in Jacksonville and made them notice.