How Panthers rookie CB’s study habits helped him make huge play against Buccaneers

Chau Smith-Wade saw Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield flee the pocket and float to his right. Mayfield launched the ball to the sideline with Carolina Panthers pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney right in his face.

Smith-Wade, the Panthers rookie nickel cornerback who was featured at the position for just the second time this season, watched the entire play develop in front of him. That vision made him leave his spot and intercept the pass meant for tight end Cade Otton toward the perimeter.

“I kind of did the wrong thing — I was supposed to stay tucked on that,” Smith-Wade said Sunday after the 26-23 overtime loss to Tampa Bay. “And I saw him rolling out, and I just wanted to keep my inside shoulder on his outside shoulder, and I noticed he had a flat threat (in Otton), so I attached to the flat threat, and I feel like he kind of forced the pass. And I just took advantage of it.”

When the rookie collected the ball and fell forward in front of the Panthers’ bench, his teammates erupted.

Even assistant special teams coach Daren Bates, a former NFL linebacker, jumped for joy on the field with the young defender and the rest of the defense.

Smith-Wade, who just started learning the nickel position in January at the Senior Bowl, has become a well-received addition to the locker room. Veterans have noticed his detailed approach to the game, which includes going to position meetings that Smith-Wade isn’t obligated to attend.

“There’s not too many guys that work harder than Chau,” safety Jordan Fuller said. “He’s in here early and in here late. He’s always getting in that extra work. He’s in meetings he doesn’t even have to be (in), just cause he always wants to learn. And it’s paying off.

“Of course, we got a long way to go, he’s got a long way to go, but he’s a real talented player. But an even better person, and I can’t wait to see how the football catches up to how good of a person and how disciplined of a person he is.”

Preparation offers purpose for Panthers rookie

Smith-Wade developed his study habits when he was a teenager in Illinois.

At Simeon Career Academy in Chicago, Smith-Wade’s high school team didn’t have group study sessions, so he found himself watching film on his own.

He said he used to watch the film like it was a Hollywood movie. And while the tape wasn’t a psychological thriller starring Daniel Craig, the young defensive back engaged in the material because of the nuances of what he was watching.

However, he later learned at Washington State that he was essentially studying red herrings — or the wrong things — in high school. His college coaches added new wrinkles to those study habits, and that helped Smith-Wade shine in the classroom during the week.

“I’ve always been a believer that you have to prepare,” Smith-Wade said. “Preparation prevents piss poor performance. . . . I always had that natural instinct to watch film and want to study, so I would say Washington State kind of brought those details for me — to look for the right things on film and stay on top of your studies.”

Smith-Wade, the team’s fifth-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft, is trying to make his mark on the Panthers’ defense, which has had its lumps through 12 games. The unit is giving up the most rushing yards in the NFL per game, and the pass defense hasn’t been that much better.

So, after succeeding veteran Dane Jackson at the nickel position, Smith-Wade is continuing to expand his knowledge.

He’s been attending safety position meetings, and even going to some scout-team meetings, to enhance his understanding of communication cues and opposing formations.

For Smith-Wade, it’s all about processing information quicker and making plays faster.

“You play so much faster but everything is moving so slow,” Smith-Wade said. “So, I think those are the edges that it gives you. You’re on the field, you look at a formation, and you’re like, ‘Nine times out of 10, I’m going to get this (look) from this (formation).’ So, it just gives you an edge in being on the field.”

A play to remember

Smith-Wade’s first intercepted ball will go in a glass case to be put on display. His phone was blowing up following overtime loss to the Buccaneers, but his most memorable conversation came from an in-person chat with his biggest supporter.

“A lot of it was ‘congratulations,’ nothing too crazy, but one interaction that I did have was with my mom and she was just telling me how proud she was of me,” Smith-Wade said. “My dad as well. So, those interactions are always top tier.”

Smith-Wade, like fellow draft classmates, Xavier Legette, Trevin Wallace and Jonathon Brooks, have offered a peak at their upside over the past three months. And while the team’s 3-9 record isn’t anything to write home about, the youngsters are making big impressions.

Smith-Wade, in particular, has drawn the praise of the veterans around him.

“Just a good player — smart player,” cornerback Jaycee Horn said. “Since he came in during OTAs, he’s (been) just real detailed with the way he attacks the day — meetings, practice, takes a lot of notes — and it’s paying off for him now, so he’s a good player and I know he’s going to keep balling.”

In the NFL, taking advantage of an opportunity — whether a start or a random play — is paramount. According to head coach Dave Canales, that’s exactly what Smith-Wade did on Sunday.

With five games left on the slate of his rookie season, Smith-Wade will look to solidify himself as a key cog for the future. After making a big play in a big game — that still ultimately ended in defeat — the ball is already rolling in that direction.

Canales clearly likes what he sees from the cornerback.

“When guys get these opportunities to get back in there, to show us what they can do and they make plays, that’s great,” Canales said. “That gives us a lot of confidence in the young guys to get out there.”

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Mayfield had been injured prior to the interception from Smith-Wade. He was injured later in the game. The story has been updated.