Draft day slant routes
What will the Panthers do?
The NFL Draft has arrived.
For the fifth time in six years, the Carolina Panthers are picking in the top 10. The one time they didn’t was in 2024, when they earned the No. 1 pick with a 2-15 record during 2023 which was given to the Bears from the Bryce Young trade.
Picking consistently in the top 10 isn’t something to brag about. Teams pick in the top 10 for a reason. That reason is because you weren’t very good the previous year. And for the Panthers, they haven’t been good in a long time.
There are a multitude of reasons the Panthers have consistently picked in the top 10. Among those:
Negligence with trading draft capital (C.J. Henderson, Matt Corral)
Whiffed on player evaluations
Organizational disfunction
So what will they do? Will they stay at No. 8 or get an offer they can’t refuse to move down?
The only thing I’m confident in predicting is that they will not trade up.
Last week, General Manager Dan Morgan stated that they need “playmakers on both sides of the ball.”
Morgan saw the same thing we did last season on the field. The offense could use a game breaker. The offense was tied for last with only three passing plays of more than 40 yards. They had 43 passing plays of 20 yards or more, which was tied for sixth fewest.
Defensively, the Panthers did not score any defensive touchdowns in 2024 and only forced 17 turnovers, which was tied for last with five other teams. Even after a free agency spending spree last month, they need more talent.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the Panthers hold selections No. 8, 57, 74, 111, 114, 140, 146, 163 and 230.
Many draft analysts have said you can find multiple starters in the early rounds. Waiting almost 50 selections to pick after No. 8 is steep. I think the Panthers would like to trade down to acquire another pick before No. 57. How far down are they willing to go? That’s the question.
If they stay at No. 8 and go with defense, popular names that are tied to the Panthers include Georgia edge Jalon Walker, Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham and Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen.
Offensively, would they be interested in Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan McMillan? Would they dare go offensive tackle at No. 8 if all other preferred options are off the board?
The Panthers have met with multiple offensive tackles during the pre-draft process.
Left tackle Ickey Ekwonu has not had his fifth year option picked up yet. Taylor Moton will turn 31 in training camp and is scheduled to be a free agent in 2026.
It would surprise many if the Panthers went with an offensive tackle in the first round. However, no team in the NFL should ever assume they are set on the offensive or defensive line. The Panthers thought they were set on the offensive line after 2022 only to see them be one of the worst units in the league in 2023.
Getting ahead of a potential problem before it happens is not a bad way to operate.
We’ll see how the Panthers navigate the board once they’re on the clock.
QUICK SLANTS
I think the Panthers should do everything in their power to trade back and acquire additional draft capital. They need talent everywhere.
If they pick at No. 8, my preference would be Mason Graham, Tetaiora McMillan or Walter Nolen.