Dan Morgan seemed reluctant to entertain a potential trade-up from No. 8 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. That didn't stop one analyst from making a blockbuster proposal that secured a phenomenal prospect.
The Panthers focused their big investments on the defensive side of the football as expected this offseason. That didn't come as a great shock for anyone who watched Ejiro Evero's unit closely last season. Morgan acknowledged his part in the team's failure and acted accordingly when the recruitment period arrived.
Carolina is widely anticipated to spend its early draft resources on more defensive reinforcements. All signs are pointing to Georgia's hybrid edge rusher/linebacker Jalon Walker being high on their list of options. Whether he'll be available when the Panthers go on the clock is becoming increasingly uncertain.
Mock draft projection sees Carolina Panthers move up for Abdul Carter
Tom Fornelli from CBS Sports had something bolder in mind. The analyst projected the Panthers to surge up to No. 3 overall after striking a trade with the New York Giants. The compensation wasn't disclosed, but the prize was Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter.
"The Giants have Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, and I don't see them going QB here. Perhaps they'd jump on [Abdul] Carter and call it a day, but they have Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns. If they don't want [Shedeur] Sanders, and [Travis] Hunter is gone, trading down makes sense. For Carolina, trading up to grab Carter, who singlehandedly makes their pass rush light years better, makes sense, too."Tom Fornelli
Carter is arguably the best overall player in this year's class. He's no worse than third depending on where you rank Travis Hunter or Mason Graham. This would also provide the Panthers with a potentially elite weapon to go alongside the current options at Evero's disposal.
There's a lot to like about Carter's potential in the pros. He's drawn comparisons to Micah Parsons and with good reason. They hail from the same college program and have a lot of similar athletic attributes. If he goes on to achieve anything like what the Dallas Cowboys' All-Pro has accomplished over his career to date, he'll be well worth a top-five pick.
This is fun to think about. However, the chances are highly unlikely.
Morgan has too many needs to fill. The Panthers aren't in the business of blockbuster trades these days. There is a more methodical approach to the front office operation, which is working with a long-term plan for sustained growth in mind. The general manager has already stated he probably won't move up, although he didn't rule out the possibility of moving back for more picks depending on how things shake out.
It'll be interesting to see how Morgan approaches his nine draft selections. But make no mistake, a good crop of prospects from the college ranks could be enough to propel the Panthers into the NFC South title picture much sooner than anticipated.
Carter would get them a lot closer. But trading up doesn't seem to be in keeping with Morgan's thought process right now.