Carolina Pantheras draft D’Angelo PondsCornerback | Indiana HoosiersRound No. 2 | Pick No. 52
Another trade down. The Carolina Panthers move back just one spot but get another draft pick to address their needs. And this could potentially give them the freedom to take a swing at one of the biggest wildcards of the 2026 class.
Carolina is blessed to have a shutdown cornerback tandem on the boundary. Jaycee Horn cemented his status among the league’s best with a second straight Pro Bowl-caliber campaign. Mike Jackson Sr. broke out into the borderline elite category, too, making it difficult for any opposing offense to pass outside the numbers.
Across the middle, it was a different story. The Panthers could use an upgrade at the nickel spot. Even though D’Angelo Ponds is an outlier from a height standpoint, his electrifying energy and playmaking ability could be a breath of fresh air.
Ponds was a driving force for Indiana on its way to championship success. He’s instinctive, more physical than you would think, and looks extremely well-suited to the zone-heavy coverage scheme Ejiro Evero deploys.
Carolina Panthers draft Blake MillerOffensive Tackle | Clemson TigersRound No. 2 | Pick No. 53
Carolina’s plans on the offensive line took a seismic shift during their agonizingly close wild-card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The Panthers were dealt a devastating blow when starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu suffered a ruptured patellar tendon, which could rule him out for most, if not all, of the 2026 campaign.
Couple this with Taylor Moton not getting any younger, and the massive investments across the protection in front of quarterback Bryce Young, and the Panthers need to draft a young offensive tackle this year. And it just so happens that a decent option is available close to home.
Blake Miller remains a work in progress, but his ceiling is through the roof. The Clemson prospect is a fluid mover with heavy hands in the run game. He is scheme versatile and extremely aggressive at the contact point. Once some technical refinements are worked out, he’s got starter upside on the right, or potentially the blindside, with a smooth transition.
Carolina Panthers draft Deontae LawsonLinebacker | Alabama Crimson TideRound No. 4 | Pick No. 119
The Panthers need help at the linebacker position. Dan Morgan admitted as much during a recent interview, so it would be surprising if the front-office leader wasn’t aggressive to rectify this issue at the defensive second level.
Trevin Wallace was the starting tandem last season, with mixed success. Wallace ended the campaign on injured reserve and was up and down from a consistency standpoint. The same goes for Roseboom, who’s also a free agent this offseason.
The rest are backups and special teamers. Carolina needs a coverage linebacker. The team also needs a physical downhill force to help solidify its run defense.
That’s where Deontae Lawson comes in. He’s physical as a tackle and can process plays quickly. He may not be the elite athlete some former Alabama prospects at the position were, but his football IQ is high, and this looks like a good scheme fit within Ejiro Evero’s system.