As the assistant offensive line coach, Ray Brown was not among the top decision-makers when the Panthers prepared for the 2015 draft. But as luck would have it, the team’s braintrust was seriously considering a player at his position for their first-round pick.
So Brown did his due diligence on Florida left tackle D.J. Humphries, a raw-but-talented player who was projected to go near Carolina’s No. 25 overall selection.
Humphries grew up in Charlotte, and after a visit with the Panthers one day, Brown gave him a ride home. It was there, while having a conversation with Humphries and his father, D.