Former Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly agreed to terms with the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night, two weeks after the team made him the No. 9 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Kuechly's four-year deal will pay him $12.578 million total, including a $7.58 million signing bonus.
The Panthers don't yet have a set plan to utilize Kuechly, who established school and ACC career records with 532 career tackles during his three-year college career. But coach Ron Rivera said he is looking forward to having Kuechly on his roster.
"We're going to look at it, we really are, and just see how it all meshes," Rivera said. "This is one of those picks where it makes your group better and your unit better. The reason we drafted the kid is he has tremendous versatility.
"Whether he's playing the Sam, the Mike or the Will for us, this guy has an opportunity to make an impact for us. We're going to put the best football players on the field and we're going to play them."
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