Most Carolina Panthers mock drafts that I’ve seen don’t have them going with a wide receiver in the first round. But in Daniel Jeremiah’s recent mock draft, that wasn’t the case, and Jeremiah made a pick you don’t see often at No. 19.
Now, just because going with a receiver at the top of the draft is uncommon in mocks, that doesn’t mean Carolina should neglect the position entirely. Tetairoa McMillan is proving to be a fantastic addition, but the Panthers need more help.
Xavier Legette was the 32nd overall pick in 2024, but he hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. In both of his first two seasons in the NFL, he’s caught fewer than 50 passes for less than 500 yards, and injuries have never been a significant issue.
After McMillan, Jalen Coker was the WR2 in terms of yardage with 394. While Coker is a good player, he would be a much better WR3 in an offense.
Adding pass catchers for Bryce Young should be a priority, but at the same time, the Panthers also need help on the defensive line. More specifically, they could use another edge rusher next to Nic Scourton.
With all of that in mind, let’s evaluate Jeremiah’s pick for the Panthers.
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If Jordyn Tyson makes it to the Panthers, as he did in this mock draft, it would be hard to pass on him. Jeremiah doesn’t believe Carolina would pass, and he has them adding the Arizona State product at No. 19.
However, it’s not often that you see Tyson making it this far. NFL Mock Draft Database has him as the 9th-ranked player on their consensus big board, and he’s the third-ranked player on my big board.
There’s no doubt that Tyson is a good player, but his injury history is very concerning. Since 2022, Tyson has only played in more than 10 games once. If injury-related red flags pop up during the pre-draft process, a slide could absolutely happen.
When Tyson has been on the field, though, he’s been dominant. This past year, Tyson put up some fantastic numbers, including a 2.37 yards per route run mark and a PFF grade of 89 against man coverage.
Not only that, but he had just a 1.6% drop rate and a receiving grade of 85.3.
That sort of talent would likely be welcomed by Dave Canales and the Panthers’ coaching staff.
Does Jordyn Tyson Fit in Carolina?
At 6’2” and 200 lbs, Tyson would be a fine fit next to McMillan, who has a similar frame. There’s certainly room for one to play X while the other plays Z.
The pick is less about the fit, though, and more about simply adding high-end talents to your roster.
One key factor that needs to be considered is that Bryce Young is set to become a free agent in two years, and it’s still not a guarantee that he’s going to be the Panthers’ franchise quarterback.
In order to fully evaluate Young, the Panthers need to give him more than just McMillan. If they were able to land Tyson, there wouldn’t be any excuses if Young doesn’t play well in 2026 or 2027.
Jordyn Tyson Stats
This past year, Tyson only played in nine games, but had 61 catches for 711 yards and eight touchdowns.
The year prior, when we saw Tyson play in 12 games, he put up some phenomenal numbers with 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns.