By By MIKE CRANSTON, AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE — Being the smallest player on Carolina’s roster doesn’t bother Tyrell Sutton. Being dubbed one of the littlest fullbacks in NFL history produces a shrug.
The Panthers’ versatile rookie knows what it’s like to fight for attention — dating to when he was on the same peewee football team with Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James in their hometown of Akron, Ohio.
‘‘I was eight and he was 10,’’ Sutton recalled Wednesday. ‘‘I think I was like, 3-9 and he was like 6-1, something like that.’’
Sutton has only grown to 5-foot-8, but he’s had a large impact on the Panthers, from an emergency role as fullback to getting spot duty at running back to taking over Carolina’s kickoff return job.
Not bad for a guy who wasn’t drafted out of Northwestern, was cut by Green Bay before the start of the regular season, then spent the first seven games on Carolina’s inactive list.
‘‘He’s smart, he’s tough and the game is not too big for him,’’ quarterback Jake Delhomme said. ‘‘He’s a great find for our guys. A great, great find.’’
And much-needed. The Panthers ran out of fullbacks earlier this month when Brad Hoover sprained his ankle and backup Tony Fiammetta sustained a concussion. Not surprisingly, Sutton, listed at 213 pounds, had never played fullback. It didn’t stop the coaching staff from telling him he’d practice there.
‘‘I thought it was a joke,’’ Sutton said, smiling.
He found out as the week went on it could happen. He honed up on the position, grilled Hoover and Fiammetta, and made his NFL debut Nov. 8 at New Orleans blocking guys a half foot taller and about 50 pounds heavier. He added three rushes for 15 yards and one reception for 11 yards.
‘‘The first thing I said to (Hoover) was, ’I don’t know how you’ve been in the league this long playing fullback’’’ Sutton said. ‘‘I was feeling it after the game.’’
Sutton’s role changed again the following week. He replaced the struggling Mike Goodson return kickoffs. Sutton didn’t get a chance when all five Atlanta kicks were touchbacks.
But Sutton returned kicks again last week against Miami, averaging 26.5 yards, including a 32-yard return. He also saw time as the No. 3 running back, catching two passes for 18 yards, while earning praise from his veteran teammates.
‘‘Especially as a rookie. Sometimes you can be in awe,’’ Hoover said. ‘‘He hadn’t really dressed until the New Orleans game and stepped in and played fullback. And the last couple of games he’s played well. He’s mature enough and mentally stable enough to play at a high level.’’
Even if he is shrinking.
Sutton was listed as 5-10 when he was Mr. Ohio in high school. Northwestern said he was 5-9 when he rushed for 3,886 yards and amassed 5,138 all-purpose yards. Then he measured at 5-8 when he went to the NFL combine and put up suspect times in speed drills.
Combine it with two injuries in college that Sutton said left him ‘‘dubbed as injury-prone’’ and he went undrafted.
‘‘All they really look at in the combine is what can they do in a setting that’s supposed to be a football atmosphere,’’ Sutton said. ‘‘But that has nothing to do with being the type of ballplayer that I am.’’
He showed it in the preseason with the Packers, when he rushed for a team-best 191 yards and a touchdown, yet was still cut.
‘‘I guess they saw me kind of similar to Brandon Jackson,’’ Sutton said. ‘‘It’s not for me to sit here and try to figure out why and what happened.’’
It took less than a day for the Panthers to sign him. But he spent Sundays in street clothes until he seized his chance. Now receiver Steve Smith believes the Panthers have to find a spot — any spot — for him.
‘‘I look at him next to Kevin Faulk, a guy that you can line up anywhere,’’ Smith said. ‘‘He’s a guy that you’ve got to give a jersey to every week.’’
Sutton takes some ribbing from his size. Before his NFL debut, teammates joked that fans wouldn’t be able to find him when he was introduced as a starter.
It doesn’t faze Sutton, and why should it? He once caught passes from a tall quarterback named LeBron James.
‘‘I’m just trying to get anywhere I fit in,’’ Sutton said. ‘‘If it’s water boy or it’s being long-snapper, it doesn’t really matter.’’