3 prospects the Carolina Panthers might regret passing on in the 2023 NFL Draft

Carolina Panthers might regret passing on Darnell Washington

Although the Carolina Panthers signed Hayden Hurst in free agency, many analysts were projecting the team to draft another promising young tight end from one of the deepest classes at the position in years. But they resisted the urge and gave the likes of Tommy Tremble a vote of confidence along the way.

Arguably the most interesting scenario came in the third round. The Panthers struck a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers to move up for the right to select D.J. Johnson - a raw edge rusher who spent six seasons in college before taking his chances at the next level.

With the Panthers' pick later in the round, the Steelers took Darnell Washington. The former Georgia standout was seen as a potential first-round pick initially, but concerns about his medical assessment put teams off from taking the plunge.

Washington has supreme physical gifts that can take the league by storm if he puts it all together. Assuming the player stays clear of injury, it could be one of the draft's biggest steals when it's all said and done.

Whether the Panthers get an upturn in production from their current options at tight end remains to be seen. The success of this will also be dependent on whether Johnson makes the necessary impact.