CHARLOTTE — During a particularly competitive period of the Panthers' Tuesday OTA practice, rookie Princely Umanmielen took a rep.

"And it wasn't a great play," Umanmielen admitted with a self-deprecating smile while telling the story.

As soon as he was done, Patrick Jones II pulled the rookie third-rounder to the side. As a veteran, he just wanted to take a moment to guide the rookie, something he has often done during this first week of OTAs. It's a relationship that rookies know isn't always realistic.

"Obviously, you draft two rookies the second and third round; we're coming in here to take somebody's spot," pointed out second-round pass rusher Nic Scourton. "We're coming in here to play. But those guys only want to see us get better and prepare us."

Manufacturing that sort of chemistry often takes time. So, how has the Panthers outside linebacker room found it so quickly after merging rookies and veterans?

Quite simply, the seating chart.

"I'm with Pat Jones," shared Umanmielen.

"I'm with D.J. Wonnum," answered Scourton.

The seating chart was a brainchild of new outside linebackers coach AC Carter. Players often land in their meeting room chairs with the same intention that drives those with de facto reserved seating in the Sunday morning service. Some people like to be up front; others prefer to hunker down in the back. Sometimes, coaches will assemble modules based on particular responsibilities, i.e., the offensive line room being broken up by guards, tackles, and centers.

However, Carter's plan instead focused on weaving in those who might have questions with those who will have the answers.

"I thought that was just a brilliant move," bragged defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero of Carter's seating chart. "And so they're listening to the coach teach, obviously. Then they have a vet there that sees, knows, and has a lot of experience that they could relate to on things that may be a little greater for him."

The lineup has the quartet left to right: Umanmielen, Jones, Scourton, and Wonnum.

Scourton admits he's in the most advantageous spot, being able to lean one way or the other for a veteran input. But honestly, the meeting room is where guys have found the least impact. It's more so that the seating chart mindset of being paired with a certain teammate is paying dividends on the field.

"I feel like maybe it gives the vets, I guess you could say, a sense of responsibility," Umanmielen explained, referencing when Jones pulled him aside on Tuesday.

"And that probably comes from—like he probably wouldn't even feel like he had to do that if our coach didn't pair us together in the meeting room. He sort of takes on a big brother role. If he sees me doing anything like being lax at practice or he thinks I should go harder, he'll pull me to the side, and he'll say something. And I like how he does it, too. He doesn't do it all riled up in front of everybody. He'll pull me to the side and just whisper to me like, 'Come on bro, you got to pick it up.'"

Scourton's locker is across the way from Wonnum's in the locker room, but the rookie knows where he is expected and allowed to be, sitting right next to his assigned veteran whenever necessary.

"After practice (Wednesday), I went and sat by DJ Wonnum's locker, and we chopped it up for a few minutes, and I was just telling him some of my frustrations of feeling like I'm slower than some of the guys out there right now," Scourton shared. "And he was just saying, 'Keep working, stay in your playbook; it's going to come with more reps.' And I think that's really big to hear it from a guy who's done it in the league and a guy who's starting over us as a vet."

Scourton and Umanmielen have been in the building for less than a month, so there is still so much room for growth and comfort in the defensive playbook. For that matter, Pat Jones II arrived as a free agent only two months ago, and Wonnum spent half of his first season with the Panthers (after joining as a free agent in March of 2024) on the sideline recovering from a major leg infection. In some ways, they are still learning this defense and where they fit in as well.

But nothing is as valuable as experience and reps. That is what the two veterans offer and what the Panthers hope pays off for their two rookies.

"They're guys who genuinely care about us getting better for the team," Scourton said of the duo. "So I really appreciate those guys and really appreciate Coach AC for even thinking of doing something like that because he didn't have to go the extra mile and do that for us."