The Carolina Panthers looked dead in the water to begin the 2024 season. Dave Canales and Bryce Young managed to rebound from the latter's benching well enough to give this team some serious optimism heading into what could be a pivotal 2025 campaign in the winnable NFC South.
Carolina needs to focus on the defensive side of the ball in this draft. The lack of a scary pass rush and holes in the secondary can be easily exploited. It also wouldn't hurt for the Panthers to keep adding weapons for Young and take advantage of what is a surprisingly deep class of wide receivers.
If Dan Morgan plays his cards right, he might be able to add enough quality prospects to give the Panthers the talent needed to compete for a division title once again. The best way to go about adding those players might be following the plan that has been laid out in this 7-round NFL Mock Draft.
Carolina Panthers 7-round NFL Mock Draft
Round 1, Pick 8: Jalon Walker, LB/EDGE, Georgia
The Panthers need to pick the best defensive player available at this point in the draft, and Jalon Walker seems like the best fit for the job. While some may consider him to be half of an inside linebacker and half of a pass rusher, the right defensive coordinator could be overjoyed to have a player like this at his disposal.
Walker has arguably the best athletic toolbox of any non-Travis Hunter defensive player in this class. He could give the Panthers an instant starter who serves as the lynchpin of this team's defensive turnaround. The Salisbury native is too talented not to contribute in some form.
Round 2, Pick 57: Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
Elic Ayomanor may not have had the gaudy statistical numbers for someone of his caliber due to limitations from his college offense. Even so, the wideout's tremendous ability to break open down the field and use his size to become a serious red zone threat should help him emerge as a top target for Young.
While Adam Thielen is starting to get a bit older, Xavier Legette and Ayomanor could form a very enticing pairing on the outside. This should make the Panthers' offense much more vertical than it was in past seasons. However, the Stanford prospect will need to answer concerns about his drops.
Round 3, Pick 74: Bradyn Swinson, EDGE, LSU
Bradyn Swinson's game is all about speed. His slight frame will not be enough for the Panthers to be dissuaded from adding him to their stable of pass rushers.
The LSU prospect shoots off the edge with reckless abandon. Swinson's impressive hand usage shows that he is further along in his technical development than most.
Round 4, Pick 111: Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas
Cobee Bryant is fairly skinny at 180 pounds, but he is still one of the best open-field tacklers in this class and skilled enough at creating turnovers to pick off 13 passes in his collegiate career. Jaycee Horn is a solid starter, but he can't anchor the Panthers' secondary by himself. The Kansas prospect could be CB3 by the end of the year.
Round 4, Pick 114: Jordan Phillips, DT, Maryland
Jordan Phillips is never going to be a very good pass rusher, but he is one of the strongest players in this class and a worthy run-stuffer. Derrick Brown will finally have a quality running mate with room to grow next to him, as the Maryland product is so skilled at his premier trait that he could ride it to a solid career.
Round 5, Pick 140: Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech
Bhaysul Tuten is a lock to be picked early on Day 3, as his explosive speed in pre-draft testing was so dominant that Carolina could bring him in as a change of pace back behind Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle. Jonathon Brooks may be perpetually injured, and his latest ailment could force Morgan to take another back this year.
Round 5, Pick 146: Elijah Roberts, DT, SMU
Elijah Roberts is a bit of a tweener at 280 pounds inside, but he was able to be very productive in college lining up at multiple spots on the defensive line. Carolina is buying a developmental lottery ticket, but he might be able to use his point-of-attack power to become a solid backup.
Round 5, Pick 163: Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon
Dillon Gabriel, like Young, has needed to overcome major questions about his historically small size. If the Oregon signal-caller can translate his deadeye accuracy and ability to fit the ball into tight windows over to the pros, Canales might take a liking to him as the long-term backup.
Round 7, Pick 230: Jason Marshall Jr., CB, Florida
Jason Marshall Jr. has some solid reps on tape in man coverage thanks to his length, which could make him a decent seventh-round target for Carolina. If nothing else, he could be a core special teamer who moonlights as an occasional backup cornerback.