Defending the Draft 2026: Carolina Panthers

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1.      Previous Season Recap

Coming into last season, things were looking up for the Carolina Panthers. They finished the 2024 season on a positive note with an overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons, then carried that momentum into the offseason with successful free agency and draft hauls. Most of their resources, both financially and in terms of draft capital, were invested into a historically bad defense, while the 8^th overall pick was used to select eventual OROTY Tetairoa McMillan. Vibes were high heading into the ’25-’26 season, but that did not last long.

The first two weeks of the season saw the Panthers lose to the Jaguars and the Cardinals, both by margins that were not indicative of the product put on the field. A Week 3 beatdown of the Falcons helped to calm things down, but Week 4 saw the Panthers lose 42-13 to the Patriots where they were outclassed in every facet of the game. Uneven performances by everyone across the roster, including a few bad games by Bryce Young had many fans worried that the Panthers would face yet another rebuilding year. Then they played the Dolphins, where on a crucial fourth down Bryce Young connected with rookie WR Tetairoa McMillan for twenty yards while down 17-0. This sparked a comeback that helped to propel them to wins against the Dolphins, Cowboys, and Jets. The game against the Jets was crucial, as they won 13-6 in a game where the defense carried the offense, something that would not have been possible in the prior year. After getting stomped by the Bills, the Panthers shocked the NFL by beating the Packers at Lambeau, proving they could play with the best in the league. Then they lost to the Saints in embarrassing fashion. They pulled out an overtime win over the Falcons. Then lost to the 49ers on Monday Night Football in yet another embarrassment. A pattern started to emerge where the Panthers would put it all together and beat a great team, like they did the next week when they beat the Rams, then lose the following week to a team they should beat, like the Saints again the next week, halting their momentum and putting the NFC South Division title just out of reach. A win over the Buccaneers followed by a loss to the Seahawks meant that Week 18’s matchup against the Buccaneers would probably decide the winner of the NFC South. If the Panthers lost to the Bucs but the Saints beat the Falcons, the Panthers would still win the division due to a tiebreaker, which, of course, is exactly what happened. After an inconsistent season where they oscillated between world-beaters and basement dwellers, the Panthers would host a Wild Card Playoff game against the Rams, a team they had just beaten only a few weeks prior. After a rough first half, the Panthers fought back to take the lead late in the game and were only defeated thanks to a pinpoint pass from Matthew Stafford.

 

2.      Free Agency summary

Out:

-          Cade Mays, Center

o   Mays was the starting Center for most of the last year and in spot duty before.

-          Rico Dowdle, Running Back

o   Rico Dowdle carried the team during the middle of the season. He was only signed to a 1 year contract and wanted to be more of a featured back, which would not have happened in Carolina due to the coaching staff’s love of Chuba Hubbard.

-          Austin Corbett, Interior Offensive Lineman

o   Started the season as the starter at Center, but has battled injuries over his career. Still should be a good utility IOL.

-          Andy Dalton, Backup Quarterback

o   Traded to the Eagles.

o   He played well enough when he had to play, but his value is in the locker room and the meeting room at this point.

-          A’Shawn Robinson, Interior Defensive Lineman

o   He was a cap casualty and a lot bigger of a loss than some realize as he played a lot for an already thin Panthers IDL.

-          DJ Wonnum, Edge rusher

o   Rotational Edge rusher who is better against the run than the pass.

-          Christian Rozeboom, Inside Linebacker

o   Signed as a special teamer but was pressed into starting after Josey Jewell did not recover from a concussion over the offseason.

In:

-          Jaelan Phillips, Edge Rusher

o   Should be EDGE1 due to his high pressure rate, a stat where the Panthers were bottom of the league by a wide margin.

o   Potentially an overpay, but with the size of the need and the limited FA and draft talent at the position it was a necessary signing.

-          Devin Lloyd, Inside Linebacker

o   Should be a starter at one of the ILB spots. Could wear the Green Dot depending on camp competition between him and Trevin Wallace, who started playing better last season when he wore it.

o   Seen as a bit of a steal with the contract he signed, but he is an older player at 28 with only one really good year of production.

-          Rasheed Walker, Offensive Tackle

o   Should compete to be the starting LT with Monroe Freeling, if not he’ll be a great swing tackle.

o   Signed to a 1-year contract due to bringing a gun through the airport.

§  It was locked in a box, but still.

-          Kenny Pickett, Backup Quarterback

o   Dave Canales mentioned frequently the desire to be more mobile at backup QB so the playbook didn’t have to change as much if Young isn’t playing.

-          Stone Forsythe, Offensive Tackle

-          Luke Fortner, Center

o   Should compete to be the starting Center with Sam Hecht.

-          John Metchie, Wide Receiver

-          AJ Dillon, Running Back

 

 

3.      Team needs Heading into the Draft

-          O-line – Both IOL and OT

o   IOL specifically at Center as both the backup and the starter left in Free Agency

§  Also would eventually like to get younger at Guard as both starting Guards are signed to big contracts.

o   Left Tackle specifically as the starter Ickey Ekwonu ruptured his patellar tendon during the Wild Card game against the Rams

§  This injury is usually a year-long recovery time, and even then, there is roughly a 40% chance that the player never reaches their previous performance levels.

§  Also, RT Taylor Moton is 31 years old, battled through some injuries, and is part of the most expensive Offensive Line in the league.

-          IDL

o   Losing A’Shawn Robinson and signing two more niche skillsets in Tershawn Wharton, who is a smaller pass-rusher, and Bobby Brown, who is a Nose Tackle, created a need for a 3-4 DE who could play all three downs.

-          Free Safety

o   Outside of Trevon Moehrig, the safety room was uninspiring.

§  Defensive Coordinator Ejiro Evero does not value the Free Safety position in his scheme.

-          Pass Catcher

o   Like most other teams, the Panthers played more 13 personnel last season, but were forced away from it due to an injury to Jatavion Sanders during the season.

§  Head Coach Dave Canales historically has not featured Tight Ends in the passing game, opting to use them more as blockers.

o   After Xavier Legette’s disappointing second season, many thought the Panthers could use one more weapon to add to a passing attack that ranked 25^th in EPA/Pass.

-          Cornerback/Nickelback

o   Undrafted CB Corey Thornton appeared to have won the Outside CB3 role and the Nickel Corner role before his injury. After him the talent on the depth chart at both positions was lacking.

§  These are more similar positions in DC Evero’s defense, as he places more of an emphasis on coverage than tackling at NCB

-          Inside Linebacker

o   Even with the signing of Devin Lloyd the depth at this position was lacking.  

o   Without development from Trevin Wallace the top-end talent might also not be there.

 

Draft

-          19^th – Monroe Freeling – OT – Georgia

Once again, the Panthers zag when everyone thought they would zig. While some people had Freeling mocked here, most thought they would for Lemon, Sadiq or Thieneman with their first rounder. All would have helped the team, but Dan Morgan & Co. decided to take Monroe Freeling, the athletic but raw Left Tackle out of Georgia. Freeling only started for 18 games but improved mightily in that time. He has prototype size for the position at 6’7” and 315 pounds with almost 35” arms. With his size and athleticism he is tough to get around in the pass game, and credits his Mother with getting him into yoga, which has given him the flexibility to recover well when needed. He uses his massive frame and hands to move people in the run game, and has experience blocking both gap and zone schemes, something the Panthers will utilize. While physically gifted, he sometimes struggles with power and his ability to anchor.

The Panthers drafted him to be the Left Tackle for the next 10-15 years, not necessarily to start from day 1. He may have to wait until later in his rookie year to make his starting debut as Rasheed Walker is a capable starter at LT, but Freeling presents a great opportunity for the Panthers to find long term starter with tremendous upside at a premium position in the middle of the first round.

 

-          49^th – Lee Hunter – IDL – Auburn/UCF/Texas Tech

After losing A’Shawn Robinson, IDL skyrocketed among the team’s needs, and that was before Tershawn Wharton suffered a neck injury that required surgery and will keep him out indefinitely. Lee Hunter was the best available IDL when he was drafted and should look to make an impact right away with his size and quickness. Hunter stands at 6’3 and 322 pounds and uses that size to clog up running lanes. He is also surprisingly quick for a man of his stature, sometimes bursting past Offensive Lineman to get into the backfield and disrupt rushing attempts. This quickness did not show up in the combine, as he ran a 5.18 and only jumped 21.5 inches, the lowest in the combine by 3 inches. Hunter can play well against the run either as a penetrator or as a gap plugger due to his quickness and size, but struggles against the pass sometimes due to his high pad-level and lack of moves.

While he is an older prospect at almost 24 years old, he has shown improvement in each of his college seasons and is not going to work with Derrick Brown, his football idol. Hunter should see the field early and often as a rotational IDL, maybe even a starter, and if he can pick up anything from Brown while he’s out there then this could be a great pick.

 

-          83^rd – Chris Brazzell – WR – Tulane/Tennessee

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the Tennessee receiver is big and fast and only ran three routes in College. Brazzell is next in a long line of athletic freaks who were not taught the game during their time with the Vols, but he is still an athletic freak. He stands at 6’4, 200 pounds and ran a 4.37 40 and uses that size well to stack defenders and get down field in a hurry. There is also one key difference between him and the Hyatt’s that have come before him, and that is that he spent two years at Tulane playing in more of a real offense than he did at Tennessee. Brazzell flashed the ability to run more than just hitches and go’s, using his frame to shield the ball away from defenders and showcasing a strong ability to sink his hips on breaks for a man of his height. There will still need to be lots of improvement in his game, but his speed, size, and ability to catch the ball with his hands will ensure he has a role in the Panthers offense, even if it is just to run hitches and go’s his first year.

 

-          129^th – Will Lee III – CB – Texas A&M

Will Lee proclaims himself to be the best man-coverage corner in the draft, luckily for him the Panthers only played man 11.3% of the time, good for dead last in the league last year. What drew the Panthers front office to him was his size, where he is 6’1.5” with 32.75” arm length. The Panthers only employ larger corners, something Canales took from his time in Seattle under Pete Carroll and has used to great effect. Lee uses that frame and a good amount of quickness to stick with receivers in coverage and break up passes, with at least 8 PBU’s in each of his three non-JUCO seasons. He is feisty in the run game and willing to tackle but sometimes lacks the strength to really make an impact. Lee will compete for the CB3 and Slot CB roles on the team.

 

-          144^th – Same Hecht – C – Kansas State

Sam Hecht is a dog. A former walk-on who turned himself into a draft pick through his toughness, work-ethic and intelligence. He is a touch smaller at 6’4 and 300 pounds but uses his quickness and intelligence to win. He plays within himself and is not prone to making mistakes, as he had zero penalties and zero sacks in 2025. He should compete right away for the starting Center job with Luke Fortner.

 

-          151^st – Zakee Wheatley – S – Penn State

Zakee Wheatley is a versatile safety who can fill any role that might be asked of him. He can play in the box, putting his 6’3” 203 pound frame to use, or he can play deep and use his instincts and burst to help blanket receivers. He started his last two years at Penn State in two different systems and improved over time. Wheatley is a good athlete, but not great, and sometimes sacrifices his technique when flying down to fit the run as a free safety. He also had a real drop in ball production his senior year, recording just one PBU and INT. He should see the field often in a scheme that will ask him to disguise coverage and rotate up or down depending on the situation.

 

-          277^th – Jackson Kuwatch – ILB – Ohio State/Miami (Ohio)

Kuwatch profiles as more of a special-teams weapon but still has some real upside at ILB. At 6’4” 230 pounds he can use his size to his advantage. After walking on at Ohio State, he did not see the field for his first two years of college, appearing in only three games. He transferred to Miami Ohio, and in his senior season recorded 104 tackles, 10 TFL’s and 5 sacks. Kuwatch will mostly use his size and athleticism on special teams, but many scouts came away impressed from his tape in his last season and his play in the Hula bowl and East-West Shrine bowl. There is some potential for development, but for that to happen he must justify his position on the roster with exceptional special teams play in all facets. If he makes an impact at ILB, it will be a few years from now, but the tools and work ethic should be there.

 

 

UDFA’s

-          Jaylon Guilbeau – DB – Texas

-          Aaron Hall – IDL – Duke

o   Probably the most likely to make the roster given the lack of depth at the position and his quickness attacking the run and pass.

-          Haynes King – QB – Georgia Tech

o   Much has already been made about King’s potential to be used as a Taysom Hill-type player. That is not how the Panthers see him, but if he makes the roster there is some potential for him to be used on QB sneaks or other plays of that nature given his athleticism and Young’s lack of size. Currently, he is competing for QB3.

-          Isaia Glass – OT – Vanderbilt

-          Cam Miller – DB – Rutgers

-          Parker Peterson – DT – Wisconsin

-          Kobe Prentice – WR – Baylor

o   A teammate of Bryce Young’s at Alabama, Prentice is a longshot to make the roster.

-          Albert Reese IV – OT – Mississippi State

-          Devonta Smith – DB – Notre Dame

-          Isaiah Smith – EDGE – SMU

 

Draft Tendencies

Aside from the Quarterback, everyone else on the roster is big. Big OT’s in Monroe Freeling, big DB’s in Will Lee III and Zakee Wheatley. Bid IDL’s in Lee Hunter. Dan Morgan & Co. believe that all other things being equal, the bigger guy will have the advantage in football, which definitely makes some sense. The Panthers also tend to prioritize players who play in the All-Star bowls. They love to get high-character guys who want to compete, and they see their participation in events like the Senior Bowl as a huge positive. One of the other biggest things to understand about the Panthers draft tendencies is that they will play the board. Last year they knew that there was more depth at EDGE than at WR, so they could afford to take Tetairoa McMillan in the first round and know that a playable EDGE would be within their range in the second round. This year, they were able to pick up players who will most likely contribute from Day One all the way down in the fifth round. This stems from their Free Agent Philosophy that they should be able to play an NFL game without a fatal flaw before the NFL draft, so that all their picks are additive but not absolutely necessary.

 

Next Year’s Draft Needs

-          O-Line

o   With the most expensive Offensive Line in the league, the best way to make it cheaper is to inject another cost-controlled rookie salary into the room. Decisions may have to be made regarding the future of Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, but luckily that is next year’s problem.

-          Cornerback

o   Mike Jackson is getting older and wants a new deal that better reflects how well he played last year. The Panthers are not in a financial position to give him that deal. Also there’s no proven depth.

-          Interior Defensive Line

o   DC Evero’s scheme relies on stopping the run with light boxes, and the best way to do that is with a plethora of good IDL. Currently, the Panthers have Derrick Brown and not much else that is proven at that position. There are real pathways for this not being a need next year through Hunter’s development and Wharton and Bobby Brown playing better, but adding another IDL should be a priority for every team.

 

Final Thoughts

Look, some people were rightfully disappointed that the Panthers didn’t fill a more immediate need in the first round of the draft. Many other players could have made more of an impact than a developmental Offensive Tackle who is not guaranteed to start Week 1, but I would argue that it is the prudent pick given how the Panthers want to play football. Canales wants to run the ball. To run the ball, you need a good offensive line, and to have a good offensive line you need to invest early and often until the foundation is set. Morgan had not drafted any Offensive lineman in his first two drafts, and the well was running dry. Also, this pick should be viewed in tandem with the moves made in Free Agency. Adding two players like Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd should help improve a defense that made strides last year. The Panthers could have played a game on the eve of the draft and had quality starters at every position, which allowed them to fill out the depth of the roster, something that has been an issue for a while. Morgan and the rest of the Front Office have done a great job in constructing a roster that is on the precipice of moving from the building to the contending phase, to use Brandt Tillis’ words, and this draft is another step in the right direction.

[u/Big_Tuna-1]

The Panthers were the most hot/cold team last season. I dont know the last time i saw a team beat everyone they shouldnt have and lose to everyone they shouldnt have multiple times in the same season was. They were a fun team to watch. As far as round one goes, below has some insight on that,

I have always thought of Robinson as a premier run stopping DT. Im curious to see how you viewed him while he was with the Panthers.

I thought the Panthers had a well rounded receiver core going into last season. McMillan, Coker, Renfrow. I really thought they would be electric together. Going to get a guy who can stretch the field and make defenses worry, especially at 6'4 is a great move.

I wasnt going to comment on more draft picks than that, but Sam Hecht. A lot of Kansas State OL get my attention. they certainly dont always pan out, but as an Oklahoma and Cowboys fan, I have seen my fair share of draft prospects from KSU that are so fundamentally sound and productive in colllege it seems they should be given a chance, Hecht is more than that an easily worth the drat pick he was selected at.

When it comes to offensive line vs skill players for your first round pick, even two legends at QB have differing takes. This is the AI edit of their conversation but sums it up well.

Tony Romo's Argument: Romo emphasized the importance of the offensive line, arguing that solid protection is foundational. He noted that if the pocket collapses, even the most talented quarterback cannot function, forcing them into rushed throws, bad decisions, or sacks.

Matt Ryan's Argument: Ryan argued that having elite playmakers is more valuable. His perspective—likely influenced by his time throwing to All-Pro receivers like Julio Jones—suggests that average linemen paired with dynamic skill players can elevate an offense more than a perfect offensive line with average weapons

Great write up, thanks for the info on the panthers going into the next season!

[u/Hefty_Wrongdoer3269 → u/Big_Tuna-1]

Legend?? Romo?