National Football League

Three reasons why Luke Kuechly is already set to be one of the greats

Published Jul. 11, 2015 8:18 a.m. ET

foxsports

By John Michael Deal

Over the course of the past three years, the Carolina Panthers have seen their share of success and disappointment.

Through it all, the play of one man has risen above it all to inspire and motivate a team, seemingly on the brink of achieving great things.

His name? Luke Kuechly.

Immediate Impact

Drafted by the Panthers in the 2012 NFL draft, Kuechly has quickly made his presence felt; not only in Carolina, but around the league. Racking up huge stats that included a league-leading 103 solo tackles, 61 assists and two interceptions, Kuechly ran away with the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2012. Kuechly’s defensive prowess in 2012 led Carolina to a sixth-place NFL ranking in total defense.

The defensive juggernaut would continue his remarkable performances in 2013 and again in 2014 as he made the Pro Bowl team both years. After having accumulated 473 tackles and seven interceptions to date, Kuechly has had probably the best three years by a linebacker in recent NFL history.

Teammate and friend Greg Olsen stated, “I don’t know if anybody has had a better three years on the defensive side of the ball than Luke.”

Those words seem to reverberate not only in Carolina, but around the league.

Nature of the Beast

Knowing Luke Kuechly’s stats will only give you a small glimpse of how good he actually is on the field. To truly understand the “nature of the beast,” one has to look at his intensity and how he actually plays the game.

Watching Kuechly play his middle linebacker position is to have an understanding of how imposing and dominating he can actually be. From the time the ball is snapped, Kuechly is already tracking the play as if he has an innate radar sense built into his 6-foot-3, 240-pound frame.

Flying all over the field from sideline to sideline and wreaking havoc on opposing offenses, Kuechly takes great pride and satisfaction in creating chaos.

Olsen also was quoted as saying, “Kuechly is an absolute monster on the defensive side of the ball.”

Cool Hand Luke

With Luke Kuechly’s intensity being what it is, most would not think that he is extremely humble and down to earth. Kuechly is as calm and collective as they come. He’s the kind of guy who will flatten you on the field and then offer you a helping hand to get you on your feet.

Even though he is constantly in what most people call “beast mode,” Kuechly is a cool customer who respects the game and his opponent while creating opportunities for his team.

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