The Athletic’s Dane Brugler is the GOAT who produces “The Beast” — the definitive NFL draft guide that is required reading for any fan or draftnik.
While Brugler is hard at work on “The Beast,” he also sprinkles in other draft stories and first-round mocks, his latest of which dropped this month. Brugler had the Carolina Panthers drafting Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods with the 19th pick.
Although the draft is still a little less than three months away, the pre-draft process is underway with Tuesday’s East-West Shrine Bowl and this week’s Senior Bowl practices. So it’s about that time to begin digging in on the draft, starting with an analysis of Brugler’s selection of Woods.
The argument for Peter Woods
I like Brugler. We sat together at a Senior Bowl practice a few years ago, and during draft season I lean heavily on “The Beast.” I don’t remember the particulars of our conversation that day in Mobile, Ala., but we clearly didn’t go too deep on the Panthers’ draft history or he would’ve known the Panthers DO NOT DRAFT Clemson players. Like, ever. It’s as if they’re not allowed to.
But just for the sake of argument, we’ll play along and consider why, hypothetically, Woods could be a good fit if the Panthers decided to draft a Clemson player for the first time in 32 years.
The 6-foot-3, 315-pound Woods has elite athleticism, highlighted by a first-step explosiveness, impressive flexibility/body control and surprising speed (he’s been clocked at a 4.86-second 40) for a player his size. Woods played mostly inside for the Tigers but showed the versatility to line up at defensive end as well.
Woods’ position flexibility extends to offense: He lined up in the backfield 13 times last season, rushing eight times for 15 yards, two touchdowns and an additional four first downs. That wrinkle alone wouldn’t convince the Panthers to draft him, but it is intriguing to think about for a team that doesn’t run QB sneaks with Bryce Young.
Woods’ traits largely outshined his production at Clemson, where he had two sacks and 3 1/2 tackles for loss in 2025 and finished with five sacks in three seasons.
“Woods didn’t have the 2025 season that evaluators expected, but he is a nimble big man with the agility to threaten gaps and chase the football,” Brugler wrote in last week’s mock. “One would like to see more proof of concept on his tape, but the flashes show an ascending player.”
What the Panthers might be thinking
The Panthers have multiple needs on defense, but defensive tackle wouldn’t appear to be at the top. Yes, the team had interest last year in Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, who went fifth to Cleveland and managed just half of a sack in 17 starts as a rookie.
But the Panthers saw Derrick Brown come back from his 2024 knee surgery to post a career-high five sacks last season, and they invested heavily in the position last winter with free agents Turk Wharton (three years, $45 million) and Bobby Brown (three years, $21 million). They also used a fifth-round pick on Florida defensive tackle Cam Jackson, who figures to get a longer look in his second season.
Even with Wharton struggling through an injury-filled ’25 season and the possibility that A’Shawn Robinson could be a salary-cap cut, there are other areas the Panthers should address in the first round before defensive line.
Not everyone agrees with that assessment, including Brugler. “To be serious contenders in the NFC, the Panthers need more impact players on the defensive line,” he wrote.
Former Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson took to social media to implore general manager Dan Morgan to “stack the Dline in the draft.” Johnson was around in 2013 when Dave Gettleman took defensive tackles Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short in the first and second rounds, respectively, in Gettleman’s first draft as Carolina’s GM.
“Every time we have made it to the Superbowl, our Dline was stack,” Johnson added.
He’s not wrong. And Woods is a prospect whose stock could soar if he tests wells and crushes drills at the combine and his pro day. Maybe he’s the best player available when Morgan is on the clock April 23.
But the Panthers need a playmaking edge rusher and an off-ball linebacker who can cover. Ejiro Evero’s defense finished with the second-lowest pressure rate in the league last season and has been at or near the bottom in sacks the past three years.
So, who would make sense, instead?
Morgan was inducted into Miami’s Ring of Honor in October, so he got a firsthand look at several of the Hurricanes’ prospects. Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. racked up 9 1/2 sacks and 15 1/2 tackles for loss this season but likely won’t be on the board when the Panthers pick — he went 10th to the Cincinnati Bengals in Brugler’s mock.
The Canes have another edge prospect in Akheem Mesidor, who led the ACC with 12 1/2 sacks and added 17 1/2 tackles for loss during Miami’s run to the national championship game. Mesidor lacks ideal length and turns 25 in April after playing six college seasons. But the Ontario native, who went 30th to New England in this mock, is someone Morgan should spend some time evaluating.
Akheem Mesidor totaled 12 1/2 sacks this season with Miami. Could he provide the Panthers a needed pash-rush lift in 2026? (Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)
Other pass rushers who could be targets include Texas Tech’s David Bailey (No. 7 in Brugler’s mock), Auburn’s Keldric Faulk (15th) and Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell (26th).
Ohio State has a pair of linebackers who project as immediate impact players. Arvell Reese figures to be long gone by the time the Panthers pick, and Sonny Styles also might be off the board. Brugler called the 6-4, 240-pound Styles “a freak of nature,” owing to his 4.5 speed in the 40 and his tackling ability. Styles, who averaged 91 tackles over his final two seasons with the Buckeyes, went to Dallas at No. 12 in last week’s mock.
The Panthers were widely linked to Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker before last year’s draft, and they could be connected to another Bulldogs linebacker this year. C.J. Allen projects as a three-down linebacker who has the physicality to make plays in the run game, the athleticism to be used in blitz packages and the speed to defend in coverage.
Allen’s versatility was reflected in his production during his final year at Georgia, when the 6-1, 235-pounder tallied 88 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks and four pass breakups.
The Panthers have used their first-round pick on a wide receiver both years since Dave Canales arrived and Morgan was promoted to GM. Morgan has said he’d like to give Young a speed receiver with the ability to turn a short catch into a long gain.
The Panthers drafted a receiver with that type of skill set last year with sixth-rounder Jimmy Horn. Maybe Morgan makes the move sooner this year, but it’s difficult to see him doing it with the 19th pick.