Carolina Panthers rookie edge rusher Nic Scourton is recovering after doctors discovered he suffered a collapsed lung during a joint practice session with the Houston Texans after initially being diagnosed with heat exhaustion.

The second-round pick from Texas A&M sustained the injury during Thursday's practice in Houston. After showing signs of labored breathing and weakness, trainers worked to cool him down before deciding to transport him to a local hospital for further evaluation.

Head coach Dave Canales explained that Scourton's condition "presented like heat exhaustion, because he was having trouble breathing. He was getting tired and all that, so we kind of cooled him down. We couldn't get him to respond good enough to where we felt comfortable about putting him back into practice."

Following treatment, Scourton was diagnosed with a pneumothorax, commonly known as a collapsed lung, and was admitted for monitoring. Cabin pressure concerns prevented him from flying back to Charlotte, so he made the roughly 1,500-mile trip by car, accompanied by family members and team medical personnel. Canales has described Scourton's status as week-to-week, noting that the team will continue to assess his recovery on an ongoing basis.

Scourton, the Panthers' 51st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, recorded two tackles and one sack in his preseason debut against the Cleveland Browns. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 257 pounds, he began his college career at Purdue before transferring to Texas A&M, where he earned first-team All-SEC honors after a strong 2024 season.

He joined Carolina with the expectation of contributing as an outside linebacker in defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero's system, likely in a rotational pass-rushing role alongside veterans D.J. Wonnum and Brian Burns.

Teammates and coaches have expressed support for Scourton, praising his work ethic and determination. Safety Xavier Woods remarked, "He's a tough kid. We know he'll do everything the right way to get back out there." The Panthers' medical staff has outlined a protocol for monitoring his lung function and overall conditioning, aiming to prevent complications such as persistent air leaks or infection.

Carolina opens its regular season on September 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. While Scourton's availability for that game remains uncertain, the team remains hopeful that he will rejoin practice later in training camp. In the meantime, the Panthers continue preparations with depth chart adjustments and plan to integrate Scourton back into drills once he receives medical clearance.