The Carolina Panthers received high praise for their draft this past weekend, with many media outlets giving them top marks, including Pro Football Focus who gave them (along with the Cardinals and Cowboys) a perfect A+ score. Panther fans on social media seem to agree, so what made GM Dan Morgan’s 2nd draft so good?

1st round (8 overall) – Tetairoa McMillan WR/Arizona

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McMillan was the consensus 2nd WR in the draft behind Travis Hunter who went #2 to the Jags, and he fills a massive need for the Panthers. He should provide the big body (6’5 212) red zone threat Bryce Young needs, and be an excellent complement to last year’s 1st round WR Xavier Legette. I love TMac as a prospect and loved the idea of the Panthers drafting him, but I wondered pre-draft if they should consider moving back if he was the guy they wanted. After their pick, there wasn’t another WR drafted for 11 picks, so while we cant know if McMillan would have lasted that long it’s fair to wonder if they could have gotten their guy and additional picks had they chose to move back. Grade B+

2nd round (51 overall) – Nic Scourton EDGE/Texas A&M

This pick made me like the TMac pick even more. I thought the Panthers might take a pass rusher at 8, but after trading up to snag PFF’s 29th ranked overall player at 51, it felt like they got a 1st round talent rusher along with a WR1. Scourton is a versatile player with a mean streak, and he instantly won the hearts of Panthers fans by knocking all other team’s hats off a table on draft night. Grade A+

3rd round (77 overall) Princely Umanmielen EDGE/Ole Miss

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The Panthers continued to add to last year’s NFL worst scoring defense in the 3rd round, trading up to take another pass rusher. Umanmielen isn’t as versatile as Scourton, but he can absolutely get after the QB in a hurry and the Panthers also got another huge value, taking a player many predicted would be a 2nd round pick. Grade A

4th round (114 overall) Trevor Etienne RB/Georgia

Etienne is the younger brother of Jaguars RB Travis Etienne, though he lacks his brother’s explosiveness. At 5’9/200 he lacks the size of an every down back, but with good quickness, hands, and blocking ability, he profiles as a high upside 3rd down/change of pace back. The Panthers already have Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle at the top of the depth chart, so this pick may signal the Panthers don’t believe they’re getting much if anything from last year’s 2nd round pick Jonathan Brooks. Etienne may also help in the return game, an area Carolina struggled last season. Grade C

4th round (122 overall) Lathan Ransom S/Ohio State

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With their second 4th round pick the Panthers went back to improving their defense, adding Buckeyes safety Lathan Ransom to help fix last year’s NFL worst run D. Ransom doesn’t have the measurables that some of the DB’s picked ahead of him do, but he likely caught the Panthers eye with his tenacity and toughness. This is a Dan Morgan type of guy. Grade B+

5th round (140 overall) Cam’Ron Jackson DT/Florida

Jackson is a huge (6’6 342) run stuffer that will help plug the middle for Carolina. He’s likely a 2 down rotational guy in the NFL but anything to help this run defense is a welcome addition. Grade B

5th round (163) Mitchell Evans TE/Notre Dame

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Evans isn’t as exciting as some of the TE’s who went before him, but he should help the Panthers in several different ways as a balanced reliable pass catcher and blocker. Like McMillan he excelled at contested catches, and projects as a solid if not high upside backup TE, and the Panthers TE room needed another player. Grade B

6th round (208 overall) Jimmy Horn Jr WR/Colorado

Horn is the opposite of McMillan. At just 5’10/170, he projects as more a slot/special teams depth guy, with some speed (4.46 40) to get down the field as a deep threat. If nothing else it’s another look for this revamped offense. Grade B-

Overall it was a fantastic draft for the Panthers, adding more weapons for Bryce Young and massive upgrades to the defense, especially the pass rush. Overall Grade B+

Related: Evaluating the Carolina Panthers 2025 Draft Class