Carolina Panthers draft Miles Frazier
- Offensive Line | LSU Tigers
- Round No. 5 | Pick No. 147
As previously mentioned, the Carolina Panthers cannot settle in the pursuit of maintaining momentum along their offensive line. That wouldn't impact the starting five, which looks pretty set if Austin Corbett and Cade Mays return. This revolves around fortifying depth in the event injury strikes.
Another with experience across the line who could be an asset is Miles Frazier. He's got extensive starting experience at LSU and is a powerful presence on running plays. He's athletic enough to help on pulls and finishes plays with a ruthless streak that's hard not to love.
Some technical flaws must be refined before confidence in Frazier's chances increases in the pros. Fortunately for the Panthers, they have one of the best offensive line coaches — Joe Gilbert — to steer him on the right path.
Carolina Panthers draft Dylan Sampson
- Running Back | Tennessee Volunteers
- Round No. 5 | Pick No. 164
The Panthers need something else in their running back room before competitive action begins again in 2025. Chuba Hubbard is the workhorse after getting a deserved four-year extension and Miles Sanders could be given a reprieve on a reduced salary. Even so, Jonathon Brooks' absence with a second torn ACL means another capable backfield threat is required.
Dylan Sampson is going relatively under the radar compared to most in a deep running back class. He took college football by storm in 2024 for the Tennessee Volunteers, earning SEC Offensive Player of the Year through a unique blend of explosiveness, contact balance, and supreme vision to exploit gaps when they arrive.
Tennessee's offensive scheme and Sampson's lack of size at 5-foot-8 seem to be going against him. That means the Panthers, or someone else, could get an absolute steal given his proven production in the biggest moments.
Carolina Panthers draft Zah Frazier
- Cornerback | UTSA Roadrunners
- Round No. 6 | Pick No. 201
The Panthers could address their cornerback room much sooner than this. There's also a good chance Dan Morgan extends Mike Jackson Sr. and finds another capable performer in free agency to put alongside Pro Bowl performer Jaycee Horn.
Chau Smith-Wade showed enough promise as a rookie to suggest he can be an asset in the nickel. That gives Carolina the freedom to pick a development piece with immense promise a little further down the draft order.
Zah Frazier is an intriguing prospect. He's got one season of FBS experience after becoming a junior college All-American. The UTSA defensive back thrives in press coverage and brings physicality to the run defense. He actively seeks contact and his six interceptions last season suggest he's got more than enough from an anticipation standpoint to become a rotational piece and special teams presence.
This would be a gamble, but the rewards would be substantial if Frazier puts everything together and continues his positive momentum.
Carolina Panthers draft Nazir Stackhouse
- Defensive Line | Georgia Bulldogs
- Round No. 7 | Pick No. 223
If the Panthers are serious about improving their defense, they must find a genuine nose tackle at some stage during the offseason. And if Dan Morgan had any sense, he wouldn't limit himself to one option.
Ejiro Evero stubbornly used Shy Tuttle as the nose tackle over his first two seasons as defensive coordinator. He wasn't found wanting for effort, but the defensive lineman just wasn't suited to the spot and should be cut this offseason.
Adding a free agent like D.J. Jones or Bobby Brown provides immediate assistance. Someone with Nazir Stackhouse's athletic ability is well worth considering late in the draft to bolster depth with the potential to start over time.
Stackhouse is a formidable presence to move off the block. He's explosive to the contact point and became adept at clearing space for others to do damage during his time at Georgia.
A lot of that good work went unnoticed with the stars around him. Morgan should not ignore the potential benefits of drafting Stackhouse if he makes it this far.