[image type=”none” float=”none” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” src=”15368″] A n NFL rookie needs to assimilate quickly. He has to study the playbook, fit in with teammates and learn to live in a new city.But as the Panthers’ 2014 rookie class gathered on the field at Bank of America Stadium Thursday, running back Darrin Reaves had a more pressing question.”What’s our mascot’s name?” Reaves asked. Someone in the crowd gave him his answer, and moments later, he got a hug from Sir Purr.While most veterans quickly started their weekends after wrapping up the Panthers’ final OTA workout, the rookies stuck around. And now all 16 were waiting together on the field. It was the first time they’d represent their new employer at a community event, and this was a doubleheader.First up — the main field, where they’d surprise a few dozen kids.25 youth football clubs from all over the Carolinas recently applied for a $1,000 equipment grant provided by Academy Sports + Outdoors. Five teams were selected and told to come by the stadium Thursday for a tour. What they weren’t told is they’d get to meet the players.When the first handful came out of the tunnel sprinting and screaming, most didn’t notice the big guys standing on the sideline in jerseys. After a few seconds of confused looks, they processed it all, and then more screaming.The little kids lined up and walked through parallel lines of Panthers, slapping high-fives with the men who weren’t far removed from it all.”You’re like their idol, a god to them, a hero to them,” 23-year-old Kelvin Benjamin said. “I grew up watching older guys and felt the same way when I was young.”When asked who he used to look up to, Benjamin answered, “Randy Moss was my man. I love Randy Moss.”Benjamin eventually met the future Hall of Famer when he was in high school, a moment he still recalls with excitement.Now it’s Benjamin’s turn to provide similar memories.”I think we need to start with the younger generations, build them up and teach them about the game of football — teamwork and all the stuff you can learn from it,” the first-round receiver said.After a picture and autograph session, the kids stayed to receive their new equipment while the Panthers walked over to the practice fields for part two.On the same turf where they’ve tried to learn the pro game as fast as possible the last few weeks, the rookies became the teachers. They led more than 100 kids from the Boys & Girls Club of York County through a PLAY 60 Camp which featured a number of stations dotted around the field.While most seemed to enjoy themselves, defensive tackle Shaq Rowell noticed a question that kept popping up.“They’re like, ‘Where’s Cam?’ I said, ‘Do you all want to see me, or do you all want to go home?” Rowell said, laughing.You can’t blame those who were looking for quarterback Cam Newton, who co-starred in a Play 60 commercial that went viral in 2012. But this day was for rookies and kids only, and at times, it was hard to tell who was getting more out of it.”It’s important for little kids to have the understanding that they can be anything they want to be, they can go anywhere they want to go,” defensive tackle Kony Ealy said. “So it’s great to get out here to give these kids something to believe in.”

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BBR NUGGETS

• Former Panthers’ GM Marty Hurney, turned sports talk radio host. — BBR
• The first words Cam Newton said to Roman Harper in the locker room. — AL.com
• Jonathan Stewart is really good at #ThrowbackThursday. — Instagram
• Jon Beason and the Giants awaiting test results. — NJ.com 
• Another article on David Gettis and his attempt to stick with the Bucs. — The Ledger
• James Anderson on the Patriots: “You can obviously see why these guys have won so much, the work they put in.” Let’s not make this into another thing, ok? — The Enterprise
• Comparing the Panthers to the U.S. World Cup team is popular. — BBR

COMING UP

Media time for Steve Smith’s annual football camp at Ardrey Kell High School is Friday morning. Luke Kuechly is Smith’s “special guest.”