Speculation is rising around what the Carolina Panthers could do during the 2025 NFL Draft. Dan Morgan wants to move back from No. 8 overall if the right offer comes along. If not, then making sure he gets the right guy with his first-round selection is crucial.
The Panthers have a window of opportunity in 2025. Dave Canales oversaw some decent improvements from his squad over the second half of his first campaign at the helm. Some imposing defensive additions in free agency should make a big difference next time around. Nailing the draft could be enough for Carolina to pursue its first winning record under David Tepper's ownership.
A consensus is growing. Most analysts believe the Panthers will pick hybrid linebacker/edge rusher Jalon Walker at No. 8 if he's available or no worthy trade-down offer arrives. Nothing has been confirmed as yet, with several other names also being widely linked with Carolina before the big night arrives.
Dan Morgan is changing Carolina Panthers' draft strategy for the better in 2025
Morgan's telling statement during his pre-draft media availability spoke volumes. The Panthers have bet on upside over college production in previous years, including the front-office leader's first draft in 2024. It's something that could change this time around.
"You don't want to draft guys that weren't productive in college."Dan Morgan
It was a short statement with lingering ramifications attached. The Panthers bet on the traits of players like Jonathan Mingo, Terrace Marshall Jr., D.J. Johnson, Trevin Wallace, and Xavier Legette in recent seasons. Some haven't worked out, and the jury is still out on others. Morgan plans to shift gears slightly, placing more of an emphasis on college performance levels, together with their NFL upside.
That probably takes Shemar Stewart off the table. The Texas A&M prospect is the definition of a boom-or-bust player. His athletic intangibles are absolutely off the charts. His lack of consistency in college suggests putting everything together is going to take time. It might not happen at all unless the team that takes him is patient regarding his development.
Stewart could be anything. He might become a dominant edge rusher for a long time. He might flame out quickly. The reality is somewhere in between, but it would be surprising if the Panthers gambled a top-10 pick on things working out when push comes to shove.
Someone like Walker — a player revered among his Georgia teammates with high-caliber production that contributed significantly to the Bulldogs' success in recent years — seems much more viable. Canales and Morgan were gushing in their praise of the prospect, whom they're viewing as a versatile edge rusher rather than an off-ball linebacker during their assessments. If he's still around when Carolina goes on the clock, he might be the guy.
One team will fall in love with Stewart and place a wager on his supreme measurables becoming something of substance at the next level. But the Panthers have too much at stake to place a call in his direction.