Bob Strickley

Cincinnati Enquirer

The Carolina Panthers 49-15 victory over the Arizona Cardinals may have dispatched one former Cincinnati football star from the postseason in Carson Palmer, but it also delivered two other Cincinnati gridiron products to Super Bowl 50.

St. Xavier graduate and Evendale native Luke Kuechly and Anderson graduate Andrew Norwell will face Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos Feb. 7 in Santa Clara, California.

As a high school senior in 2008, Kuechly had 130 tackles and earned first-team All-Greater Catholic League honors. He helped lead the Bombers to a 2007 Division I state title.

Panthers pummel Cardinals, set Super Bowl 50 matchup with Broncos

Kuechly, a linebacker, went on to star for Boston College and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft. He's become one of the best defensive players in the league, earning defensive rookie of the year awards, and is the best inside linebacker, according to Pro Football Focus.

Kuechly had eight tackles an interception and a touchdown in Sunday's rout of the Cardinals. After scoring his touchdown, he even stopped to check on a fan that had fallen out of the stands.

Norwell was a standout offensive tackle for Anderson and assisted the Redskins to a Division II state title in 2007. He was a two-time first-team all-Big Ten Conference offensive linemen for Ohio State and helped the Buckeyes to some of the best rushing performances in the team's history.

Despite going undrafted in 2014, Norwell has become one of the better guards (graded at 87.5, good for sixth-best) in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Norwell made Anderson history in 2014 when he was the first Redskin to make an NFL roster.

Not a local high school product, but playing for the Broncos on Feb. 7 is former University of Cincinnati defensive lineman Derek Wolfe. He accumulated 162 tackles, 37 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks while playing at UC. Wolfe was selected in the second round of the 2012 draft by the Broncos.

Kuechly, Norwell and the rest of the Panthers are early 3.5-point favorites to beat Wolfe and the Broncos in the Super Bowl.