<
        >

          NFL Nation

          Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin at playing weight, ready to go

          • David Newton, ESPN Staff WriterJul 24, 2015, 11:35 AM ET
            Close
              David Newton is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Carolina Panthers. Newton began covering Carolina in 1995 and came to ESPN in 2006 as a NASCAR reporter before joining NFL Nation in 2013. You can follow Newton on Twitter at @DNewtonespn.
            Follow on Twitter

          CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin got in a three-point stance on Friday, jogged a few steps forward, cut to his right and turned just in time to haul in a short pass.

          Benjamin was showing Charlotte-area kids proper route-running technique at his inaugural football camp at Rocky River High School.

          In exactly one week, Benjamin will line up for real as the Panthers hold their first practice of training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

          Carolina’s 2014 first-round pick says the hamstring injuries that kept him from participating in 10 of Carolina’s 14 practices during offseason workouts are healed and shouldn’t be an issue.

          “I'm looking to go full when we go into camp," Benjamin said. “I’m feeling good. I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited."

          Carolina coach Ron Rivera suggested during a June minicamp that Benjamin being slightly overweight when OTAs began might have contributed to the hamstring issues. Benjamin offered no insight into that, saying, “It happens. Everybody gets hurt, right?"

          Benjamin, who played at 245 pounds last season, said his weight is “perfect" as he prepares for camp.

          “I’m not on the scale," he said. “But I’m playing weight."

          Benjamin led Carolina wide receivers with 73 catches for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns last season. He admittedly hit the rookie wall during the season and said he’s done things with his conditioning and diet to make sure that doesn’t happen again.

          But this day was all about having fun with kids, some whose height didn't reach to the 6-foot-5 receiver's waist.

          “I wanted to do something in Charlotte and give back to the kids," Benjamin said. “This is the Panthers nation. There are a lot of kids that know me.

          “It’s just great to get out here and see the kids, to see the potential some of these kids have already. I didn’t play sports at this age."