CHARLOTTE — Lathan Ransom was warming up for Fan Fest, pumping himself up to play in front of fans for the first time as a Carolina Panther. Special teams coach Tracy Smith moseyed up to him and said, "Let me see your eyes."

He wanted to gauge Ransom's confidence level his first time under the lights in Bank of America Stadium, and he saw what he needed.

"I'm going to throw you a ball," Smith told him, much to Ransom's delight.

They hadn't repped a special teams fake to Ransom all of camp, but Fan Fest is a place to have fun and provide a little razzle-dazzle, so it seemed like a good opportunity.

"As a defensive player, all you want is the ball in your hands, so I couldn't wait," Ransom laughed, telling the story on Tuesday following the Panthers' latest training camp practice.

Whe

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