The 2025 NFL Draft may be the marquee rookie class under the Carolina Panthers' current regime.
Head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan found short and long-term contributors on both sides of the ball. These include No. 8 overall selection Tetairoa McMillan, who was last season's AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The second day of the draft also featured the selection of two pass rushers — Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen.
Carolina Panthers have an under the radar force in edge rusher Princely Umanmielen
However, as the Panthers head into mandatory minicamp next week, their biggest free-agent splashes in years have kept Umanmielen under the radar as a potential impact defender in 2026. For a sophomore pass rusher, that plays perfectly into his long-term outlook.
This offseason, the Panthers signed one of the best pressure-rate pass rushers in the NFL, Jaelan Phillips. He penned a four-year, $120 million deal with $80 million guaranteed in arguably the biggest signing in recent franchise memory. There is also excitement around second-year standout Scourton and his further progression.
Along with the return of veteran Patrick Jones II, who played in only four games due to a back injury, Umanmielen has become an afterthought in a lot of cases. However, he remains in the fold at edge rusher, and the occasional flashes he displayed throughout his rookie season suggest a defender whose projection arrow is pointing sky-high.
Pass rush has been a concern for the Panthers in past seasons. After seeing the growth from Scourton and Umanmielen, signing Phillips, and getting a healthy Jones back, the team seems confident in their room to have one of the most improved position units in the entire NFL.
Where does Umanmielen play into this equation?
His athleticism, length, speed-to-power, bend, and impressive shock value when setting a hard edge will play a prominent role in 2026. This is a rusher who could give you immense value as a rotational piece. Umanmielen's ceiling could be in the six-to-eight-sack range while also collapsing the C and D-gaps with violence at the point of attack.
It's hard to imagine Umanmielen having a lesser role in Year 2 of his professional career after accumulating just 22 percent of defensive snaps last time out. But with competition increasing, he'll have to earn it.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero shouldn't be reluctant to keep the former Ole Miss standout off the field. If Umanmielen reaches his ceiling in Carolina, the pass rush could be a special group next season and long into the future.
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