The Carolina Panthers entered the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23 with seven picks over the three-day draft.
GM Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales kept the franchise’s offense-first drafting trend going on Thursday night by selecting Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling with the No. 19 pick. The Panthers took receivers (Tetairoa McMillan at No. 8 in 2025, Xavier Legette at No. 32 in 2024) in the first round in the past two drafts and QB Bryce Young No. 1 overall in 2023 and offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu at No. 6 in 2022. The last defensive player the franchise selected in the first round was CB Jaycee Horn at No. 8 in 2021.
Carolina opened its Day 2 action by trading with the Vikings to move up two picks in the second round in order to take Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter at No. 49. The Panthers received picks 49 and 196, while the Vikings got No. 51 (which became Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday) and No. 159. They capped off their night by picking another field-stretching target for Young: Tennessee wideout Chris Brazzell II, selected with pick No. 83.
Keep coming back here throughout the draft for grades and analysis of each Panthers pick.
Round 1No. 19: Monroe Freeling, OT, GeorgiaHow He Fits
The Panthers are looking to protect themselves after Ikem Ekwonu’s knee injury, and Freeling adds depth and competition right away. This appears as a “best player available” with an eye on the future, which is healthy. I’m not sure he plays right away, but Freeling has long-term potential. Freeling is built like a left tackle with incredible length and great speed. And he’s still raw and only 21 years old. — Scott Dochterman
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A starter for one-and-a-half years at Georgia, Freeling settled in at left tackle in offensive coordinator Mike Bobo’s balanced gap/zone scheme. After coming off the bench at both left and right tackle, he became a starter over the second half of the 2024 season and showed gradual improvements each game in 2025. He earned All-SEC honors as a junior, allowing just nine pressures; he committed only one holding penalty in 18 career starts.
An ascending prospect, Freeling passes the eye test with his frame, length and movements off the ball. He is quick out of his stance, regardless of what the action requires, and uses his hands to latch and control defenders. Mixing up his pass sets, redirecting vs. skilled counters and using improved leverage in the run game will be the next steps in becoming a more complete player.
Joe Person’s analysis
Carolina Panthers select Georgia OT Monroe Freeling with No. 19 pick in 2026 NFL Draft
Grade: BRound 2No. 49 (from Vikings): Lee Hunter, DT, Texas TechHow He Fits
The Panthers needed to upgrade the defensive line alongside Derrick Brown, and they did so with one of the top zero-techs in the draft. Hunter (6-3 ½, 318) was Texas Tech’s physical run-stuffer who allowed David Bailey to get free off the edge. But make no mistake: Hunter was every bit as instrumental in the Red Raiders’ success as Bailey. He’ll instantly upgrade the Carolina defensive line. — Scott Dochterman
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A one-year starter at Texas Tech (and three-year starter overall), Hunter lined up as the nose guard in defensive coordinator Shiel Wood’s 4-2-5 base scheme. After a bad experience in his one season at Auburn, he put himself on the NFL radar at UCF and then made his presence known for the Red Raiders in 2025. Despite generating little sack production, he combined for 31.5 tackles for loss over the past three seasons.
With light feet for a big guy, Hunter offers a balanced blend of strength, length and movements. He can post up on run downs and shut down A-gaps, while also flashing the lateral range to make more plays away from his square than your average nose. He is naturally strong, although high pads and a narrow base can take away from his power supply. He is limited on passing downs and is more of a slow-burn pocket pusher than a man with a plan.
Joe Person’s analysis
Carolina Panthers draft Lee Hunter, DT from Texas Tech, with No. 49 pick in 2026 NFL Draft
Grade: ARound 3No. 83: Chris Brazzell II, WR, TennesseeHow He Fits
Brazzell can take the top off of a defense, and that should free up rising star Tetairoa McMillan to become a potential Pro Bowler. Brazell boasts an 80-inch wingspan and ran the 40 in 4.37 seconds at the combine. A third-team All-American, he led the SEC with 1,017 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 62 catches (16.4 yards per catch). His explosiveness will immediately help the Panthers’ offense.
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A two-year starter at Tennessee (and three-year starter overall), Brazzell was an outside receiver (exclusively to the right of the formation) in head coach Josh Heupel’s up-tempo spread scheme. (He saw one target to the left of the formation in 2025, and it resulted in a drop.) Brazzell put himself on the NFL radar at Tulane before showing improvements over the past two seasons in Knoxville. He led the SEC in receiving yards per game (84.8) and receiving touchdowns (nine) in his final season (although seven of those TDs came in September).
Brazzell gets to top speed in a hurry to stack corners on his hip and keep them there. He can sink to smoothly get in and out of breaks, although scouts want to see him improve his consistency on intermediate routes and expand his route menu in the NFL (48.7 percent of his routes in 2025 were either a hitch or go). He is at his best using his tracking skills and length to be a jump-ball winner down the field.
Fantasy impact
Fantasy people have a soft spot for Jalen Coker, but between Xavier Legette and Coker is arguably a soft spot for the No. 2 role. Brazzell has some similarities to Christian Watson with nice route work, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him alongside Tetairoa McMillan. That would bring up-and-down WR4 potential, but even so, we likely have to wait for him to completely break free of Legette and Coker in 2027 … maybe late 2026 at best. — Jake Ciely
Grade: A-Round 4
No. 124 (from Jaguars)
Round 5
No. 166 (from Jaguars)
Round 6
No. 200
Round 7
No picks