The 2025 NFL Draft is just around the corner, set to begin on April 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Carolina Panthers are one of the teams that will look to keep up their momentum from earlier this off-season, as stated by Yahoo Sports.
The Carolina Panthers head into the 2025 NFL Draft with nine picks over seven rounds, including the overall 8th pick in Round 1. Keeping in sight their 2024 season, which ended with a 5-12 record, the Panthers will look to potentiate their defense. Additionally, to prevent their 1-7 start from the last two years, the Cardiac Cats will have to consider the players who are past their prime in the wide out and safety division (via PanthersWire).
What are the Carolina Panthers' biggest needs in the 2025 NFL Draft?
The Charlotte-based team has initiated to strengthen their defense by including Tre'von Moehrig, Tershawn Wharton, and others in the offseason earlier. However, they still have room left in their defensive unit that can accommodate safety, edge rushers, and wide receivers (via NY Times).
#3 Wide Receiver
Despite a solid group consisting of 34-year-old Adam Thielan, veteran David Moore, and two second-year WRs Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker, the Panthers will look to expand their wideout division. The 2024 season witnessed the Carolina Panthers average the third-lowest yards per passing attempt (6.3) and the seventh-fewest completions of at least 20 yards (43). This highlights a lacuna in the offensive side, which can be filled by a wide receiver. The potential playmaker to aid Bryce Young is Jaylin Noel from the Iowa State Cyclones. After posting promising stats during the 2025 NFL Combine, Noel brings speed and alertness to the team (via Panthers Wire). Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated has projected Tetairoa McMillan as a potential pick for the wide receiver position.
#2 Safety
Earlier this off-season, the Charlotte-based team boosted its defense by adding Tre'von Moehring. Besides Moehring, the unit only has Nick Scott and Demani Richardson as safeties, which leaves quite a room to be filled. The potential options include Nick Emmanwori, Malaki Starks, Xavier Watts, Kevin Winston, Andrew Mukuba, Sebastian Castro, Malachi Moore, and Caleb Ransaw (via Panthers Wire). Xavier Watts is likely to be a second-round pick (No. 57 overall) to help the Carolina Panthers through his ball skills. In 2023, he led the FBS with seven interceptions, earning two All-American honors and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as college football's top defensive player.
#1 Outside linebacker/Edge Rusher
The Carolina Panthers ranked last in pressure rate (16.2 per cent) and recorded the third-fewest sacks in the 2024 season. This will be the ideal place to start for Dan Morgan and Co. as they look for a defensive linebacker. According to PanthersWire, this move is likely to come in Round 1 in the form of Mykel Williams from the Georgia Bulldogs after they trade No. 8 pick for No. 10 pick with the Chicago Bears. However, if this trade doesn't take place, the Panthers are likely to go for Jalon Walker from the University of Georgia. According to the Charlotte Observer, this is the time for the Panthers to go defense-first in the draft and choose Walker from Salisbury, who registered 6.5 sacks for the Bulldogs in 2024.
FAQs on Carolina Panthers
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