North Charlotte Today

Chau Smith-Wade wants to ensure that everyone remembers the unique soundtrack accompanying Demani Richardson's game. "He came out with his own song," Smith-Wade emphasized, referring to Richardson's rendition of "Candy Rain" by Soul For Real during the rookie talent show at training camp. This performance became a recurring theme as teammates sang the 1995 single whenever Richardson made plays during the preseason.

Richardson has recently stepped up significantly. On Sunday, he started in place of injured Nick Scott and ended the game with a team-high 11 tackles. "The thing about Demani," Smith-Wade said, "I came in with him, you know, we both rookies, so going into training camp, he came in with an abundance of confidence."

This confidence is evident in Richardson's approach to the game. He stated, "When I first got here, I just showed them how dedicated I was how smart I was. I'm reliable. I'm always in the right spot and I make plays when they come to me." However, this attitude wasn't easy to develop. After playing five years at Texas A&M and joining the NFL as an undrafted free agent rookie, Richardson knew he had to prove himself.

"When you go drafted, they just don't think you belong," Richardson admitted. "When you go undrafted, sometimes you think you don't belong." Despite this challenge, he believed he was destined for success in the league.

Richardson quickly impressed his teammates and coaches after joining the Panthers. During joint practice with the New York Jets, he intercepted two passes and broke up another against Aaron Rodgers in a 7-on-7 drill. He capped off that week with another interception during a preseason game.

Safety Xavier Woods highlighted Richardson's ability to create turnovers: "It just starts from when he got here in OTAs, creating turnovers; that's what gets you on the field." Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero added that Richardson had shown exceptional ball production throughout offseason and training camp.

Initially buried on the depth chart behind other safeties like Woods and Fuller, Richardson continued making plays whenever possible. His attention to detail and professionalism did not go unnoticed by Evero: "For a young guy...to have such great habits...it's not a surprise that he was able to go into the game and function."

Caleb Farley also praised Richardson's communication skills during Sunday's game: "I want to shout out and tell him he was communicating very well." Woods emphasized that effective communication is crucial in Evero's scheme: "If you're rolling we're all rolling."

Richardson's growth from an uncertain undrafted rookie into a confident playmaker demonstrates his dedication and potential impact on future games.