Improving status forces Carolina Panthers to pivot in 2025 NFL mock draft

Dan Morgan should have plans in place for every eventuality.

Mykel Williams
Mykel Williams | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers are looking to finish the season strongly. Things are looking up for a franchise who've enjoyed nothing but misery almost from the moment David Tepper bought the team. However, fans are worried about how this mini-renaissance will impact their ability to get a genuine difference-maker during the 2025 NFL Draft.

Beating the Arizona Cardinals — eliminating the NFC West team from playoff consideration along the way — was a much-needed boost to end their home slate on a high. But there are a lot of bad squads in the league this year, which saw Carolina's draft spot plummet despite gaining just four wins this season.

Carolina went from No. 3 overall to No. 7 in the blink of an eye. This could improve or decrease further depending on how the Panthers fare over their final two games. If the same trend continues, general manager Dan Morgan needs to broaden his list of potential options with so much uncertainty in front of them at the top of the draft order.

Morgan will roll with the punches and have plans in place for almost every eventuality. Bryce Young's encouraging recent progress means that the Panthers won't panic chase a quarterback this year. That's a luxury Carolina wasn't expected to have before the former Alabama star finally started displaying the poise and precision that made him such a highly coveted prospect.

This widens the net for Morgan and his staff. It's hard to predict which way they'll go and a trade down couldn't be entirely dismissed. But it's not a bad problem to have considering how bleak things looked once upon a time this season.

Carolina Panthers select Mykel Williams in Yahoo Sports mock draft

Nate Tice and Charles McDonald from Yahoo Sports thought the Panthers' pivot following improved fortunes could lead to edge rusher Mykel Williams when push comes to shove. The analysts believe his versatility and impressive physical attributes will be a major asset for Carolina's inconsistent defense when Derrick Brown gets back from injury if they go down this route.

"After battling an ankle injury at the beginning of the year, [Mykel] Williams has started to ramp up his play — and the production has followed. Williams has an excellent combination of length, strength and explosiveness. With the added bonus of being able to affect the game from multiple spots along the line. His best ball is ahead of him and would be a fun fit next to Derrick Brown for a Panthers defense needing needle-movers."
Nate Tice and Charles McDonald

This might be a little higher than most projections for Williams, but the talent is undeniable. His awareness against the run, technically sound hand placement, and explosiveness to the contact point are outstanding traits that should transition well from college to the pros. This is matched by closing speed on running plays and relentless pursuit in pass-rushing situations.

The Panthers have improved their pressure generation since D.J. Wonnum's return from injury. That won't stop Morgan from strengthening the ranks this offseason with a young, potentially dominant figure capable of impacting proceedings in all phases.

There are some slight injury issues where Williams is concerned. That'll be something for Morgan and his staff to successfully check out if he becomes a prospect of interest. But aside from that and the need to bulk up upon joining the pros, there's a lot to like.

The options are endless for Morgan. If the Panthers finish on the front foot and he's still in a position to get a blue-chip prospect in a position of need, the better Carolina's chances will be.

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