With free agency looming and the 2026 NFL Draft inching closer, mock drafts are beginning to shape the conversation around the Carolina Panthers.
The latest projection from FOX Sports draft analyst Rob Rang raised more than a few eyebrows among Carolina's loyal fan base.
At No. 19 overall, Rang has the Panthers selecting Texas A&M wide receiver Kevin “KC” Concepcion, marking the third straight year Carolina would spend a first-round pick on a wideout.
Carolina Panthers using another first-round pick on a wide receiver doesn't seem likely
Rang’s logic is simple.
“For as good as Bryce Young and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan proved to be in their first year together, one has to wonder if there isn’t a lot more "meat on the bone" for the Panthers to enjoy with a second reliable playmaker added to the equation. Concepcion’s electric speed and elusiveness could be the perfect complement to T-Mac, as well as provide some spark to a return unit that has produced just one TD over the past eight years.”
At 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, the prospect wins with burst, tempo control, and separation. Concepcion posted 61 catches for 919 receiving yards and 10 total touchdowns in 2025 while averaging an impressive 2.46 yards per route run. When targeted, his quarterback produced a 112.9 passer rating.
There’s also a special teams angle. Carolina’s return units have struggled mightily, producing just one touchdown over the past eight seasons. In 2025 alone, the Panthers ranked 25th in punt return average and were near the bottom of the league in kickoff returns. Concepcion’s open-field ability could immediately address that issue.
On paper, the fit makes sense, but there’s one problem. The Panthers may already have a rising playmaker on the roster in Jalen Coker.
The undrafted free agent from Holy Cross finished the season second on the team in receiving yards with 394 on 33 catches — most of which came late in the season. Coker was also tied for second with three touchdown receptions.
Then in the playoffs, Coker was targeted 12 times, hauling in nine passes for 134 receiving yards and a touchdown in Carolina’s wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He looked every bit like a player earning quarterback Bryce Young’s trust in real time.
If Coker’s late-season surge was a preview of what’s coming, Carolina may already possess its second reliable playmaker. This makes Rang’s projection feel less like a necessity and more like a luxury.
The Panthers have options. And that’s not a bad place to be.