Best NFC 2025 NFL Draft picks
USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon breaks down which teams in the NFC drafted the best this year.
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The 2025 Carolina Panthers finished third in the NFC South with a 5-12 record, slightly improving from their league-worst 2-15 record in 2023.
Carolina enters year three with Bryce Young as its franchise quarterback. The team seemed to make progress as the regular season approached its end. With two overtime victories in Weeks 16 and 18 against NFC opponents, the potential of the former No. 1 overall pick looks more promising.
While Young enters year three, it will be his second season with the promising coaching regime led by offensive guru Dave Canales.
The Panthers used the eighth overall pick to select the top wide receiver in the draft, Tetairoa McMillan. He pairs well with Xavier Legette, whom the Panthers drafted with the 32nd overall pick a year ago. The team continued to surround Young with weapons by signing running back Rico Dowdle in free agency to create a backfield duo with 2024 breakout star Chuba Hubbard.
The Panthers have solid pillars on the defensive side of the ball in defensive tackle Derrick Brown and cornerback Jaycee Horn, but plenty of holes remain for a unit that ranked dead last in points per game allowed (31.4) and yards per play allowed.
They ranked 31st in ESPN’s pass-rush win-rate metric in 2024 and looked to address the issue by scooping up edge rushers Nic Scourton (Round 2, Pick 51) and Princely Umanmielen (Round 3, Pick 77).
The NFC South could finally open up for the first time in four seasons. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have established themselves as the team to beat in the division and the Atlanta Falcons are pushing to challenge their standing at the top. Meanwhile, the Panthers appeared to find some momentum down the stretch of 2024.
Can Carolina compete and surprise some people in 2025? That could depend on how demanding the Panthers’ schedule ends up being.
Panthers’ 2025 opponents
Here’s the full list of the Panthers’ opponents for 2025:
HomeAtlanta FalconsArizona CardinalsNew Orleans SaintsLos Angeles RamsSeattle SeahawksBuffalo BillsMiami DolphinsDallas CowboysRoadAtlanta FalconsTampa Bay BuccaneersNew Orleans SaintsArizona CardinalsSan Francisco 49ersNew England PatriotsNew York GiantsNew York JetsGreen Bay PackersJacksonville Jaguars
The Panthers will play each of their NFC South divisional foes twice during the 2025 NFL season, per usual. They will also play all of the teams in the AFC East and NFC West as part of the NFL’s rotating schedule.
Carolina’s final three opponents – the Packers, Jaguars and Cowboys – were determined based on the Panthers’ third-place finish in the NFC South last season.
When is the 2025 NFL schedule release?
The NFL will unveil its full 2025 schedule on May 14.
On that date, the league will announce all 18 weeks of matchups and bye weeks for each team. This year’s schedule release will occur one day earlier than last year’s, which was on May 15.
Last year, the NFL announced the complete 2024 schedule at 8 p.m. ET, so fans can expect a similar timing this time around.