Frankie Luvu doesn’t have to break out in the eyes of Carolina Panthers fans. He’s already done it.
But 2023 may be the year he does it for the wider NFL audience.
Zoltán Buday of Pro Football Focus recently named one breakout candidate for each of the 32 teams. For the Panthers, he opts for “Uce,” who should continue his ascent this upcoming season.
Similarly to [Kaden] Elliss, 2022 was the first season Luvu played more than 500 snaps, and he managed to turn some heads with his play. His 74.8 overall grade ranked 16th among linebackers, while his 90.1 run-defense grade was good for third at his position. If Luvu manages to take a step forward in coverage in 2023, he can be among the best linebackers in the league.
Luvu started a career-high 14 games in 2022. And along with those PFF grades, the 26-year-old backer also turned heads with 111 combined tackles and 7.0 sacks.
Plus, Carolina’s switch to a 3-4 base under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero may unlock Luvu even more. His versatility and explosiveness could see him used on the inside next to Shaq Thompson and as a threat off the edge.
So, it may soon be time for the rest of the league to acknowledge this defensive tribal chief.
