The Carolina Panthers were aggressive in meeting their most pressing roster needs during NFL free agency. Now, that creates a problem for mock draft afficionados.
No one has a good idea what the Panthers might do with their picks.
There are no obvious needs that must be addressed early in the draft, which starts Thursday night. That’s a welcome position for the team to be in—every team claims it will choose the best-available player, but Carolina could be the rare front office that actually gets to do it.
“I think it opens us up to a lot of possibilities at Pick 19,” GM Dan Morgan said of Carolina’s first-round pick. “I think all positions are on the table. And like I said before, you never know who’s gonna fall down to us. “So, I think we’re definitely in the best-player-available mindset. I think what we did in free agency set us up to do that.”
With seven picks, the Panthers could also swing a trade to move up or down in the first round in order to get to top name on their board.
While the draft is wide open for the Panthers, there are a few areas that will need to be addressed before the weekend is over. Carolina needs to add to the offensive line. It will also look to upgrade at safety, corner and pass catchers at receiver and tight end.
The Panthers have used their top pick on receivers each of the last two drafts—Xavier Legette in 2024 and Tetairoa McMillen last year. But Morgan wouldn’t even rule out extending that streak.
“We’re gonna take the best player,” he said. “So I wouldn’t hesitate to draft another wideout. I don’t think there’s a rule that says you can’t draft a receiver three years in a row. I’m not gonna box us in and say we’re not gonna draft one.”
Based on mock drafts, it doesn’t appear that there is an offensive lineman worthy of the 19 pick. That could mean the Panthers move to address that spot, or they look at other positions. The most common name mentioned in mocks is Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. USA Today, CBS Sports, the Ringer and Yahoo all had him coming to the Panthers.
Sadiq set a combine speed record for the position in the 40 and also had an impressive vertical leap. He would be a playmaker the Panthers haven’t had at that position since Greg Olsen was making Pro Bowls, and he would also be an upgrade blocking in the run game over the current Panther tight ends.
Morgan seemed to throw shade on that pick, praising the talent of the tight ends currently on the roster. Although that may be an attempt to create a smoke screen to hide his true intentions.
The Panthers may also opt for one of Sadiq’s Oregon teammates—safety Dillon Thieneman—another popular choice at 19 in mock drafts. The biggest hurdle for the Panthers may be the Vikings, picking at No. 18, who are also thought to be seeking the Ducks’ defensive leader.
If the Panthers are tempted to move up to pick Thieneman ahead of Minnesota, they may also consider a bigger leap, trading into the top 10 to get Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
If Carolina does choose to address the offensive line first, the most likely candidates are Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling and Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor. Utah’s Spencer Fano and Miami’s Francis Maugoa are expected to be gone by the time the Panthers choose. Carolina could also choose to wait until the second round, possibly trading back into the late first again, to pick a lineman. Clemson’s Blake Miller or Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor would be strong candidates in that scenario.
ESPN actually took Morgan at his word and predicted that the Panthers would take a receiver—Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr.—with pick 19. There has also been talk of the team’s interest in A&M pass catcher KC Concepcion, a former NC State Wolfpack standout before transferring.
