The Panthers had a head start on their research on Jones, coaching him all week leading up to the Senior Bowl in January. And with so much focus on quarterbacks (general manager Scott Fitterer has already hit the pro day workouts for Wilson and Lance, and will for Fields), the diligence they’re doing is beyond the due kind.

What they learned in their first-hand work with Jones is that he can absolutely lead.

“I’ve been really impressed with who he is,” Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said of Jones in January. “I’ve been impressed with his character, his moxie, his swag. I mean, he’s got it all. You can see why his teammates follow him, he’s got a great way with other people.

“He’s been a really productive quarterback, and he’s shown a lot of things he can do this week. He’s really