Adam Thielen calls Panthers' class the best group of rookies he's ever been around

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen has been around a lot of rookies during his decade with the Minnesota Vikings. But he has never been able to be around the No. 1 pick in his draft year.

That has changed this offseason in Carolina with Bryce Young, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Young has already impressed the former All-Pro wide receiver. But he isn’t the only one doing so through the first few months of the offseason. Thielen has high praise for the entire Panthers rookie class.

“I would say Bryce and really all these young guys have impressed me,” Thielen said last week during minicamp. “Probably the best rookie group I’ve ever been around as far as just coming in here and not missing a beat. They haven’t had as many reps as we have. We’ve had a couple more weeks of practicing and being around each other. They came in and really didn’t miss a beat. I thought, in my time — 11 years in the league — I’ve never seen a group that just hasn’t looked like rookies. Everybody has their moments and things like that, even veteran guys, but it’s been really impressive.”

The Panthers made five selections during the 2023 NFL Draft. In addition to taking Young at No. 1, they selected Ole Miss wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, Oregon EDGE D.J. Johnson, NC State interior offensive lineman Chandler Zavala and Florida State safety Jammie Robinson.

The team also has 14 undrafted free agents currently listed on its roster.

Mingo is one of two rookie wideouts in the class in the same position room as Thielen along with former South Carolina pass catcher Josh Vann.

Like the rookies, Thielen is also experiencing his first offseason with Carolina. He spent the previous 10 years with the Minnesota Vikings. In fact, the Minnesota native and Minnesota State alum has spent almost his entire life in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

That means Thielen is going through a life transition just like them. And suffice to say, he is impressed with how the rookies are making that adjustment.

“I think it’s their confidence,” Thielen said. “I think it’s their football IQ. You can tell that they’re not just skilled football players. They’re their football players. They understand leverages. They understand schemes. They understand defenses, and that’s not something that you usually see out of a college guy.”