Carolina Panthers drafted Princely UmanmielenEdge Rusher | Ole Miss RebelsRound No. 3 | Pick No. 77
Dan Morgan saw enough in Princely Umanmielen to give up one of his precious draft picks to move up and secure his services. There was some work needed to set clean edges against the run, but the Carolina Panthers were in desperate need of adding more explosiveness to their pass-rushing unit.
Umanmielen wasn’t as far ahead as Nic Scourton, but nobody expected him to be. His run defense is not the best, which limited his involvement throughout the campaign. The Ole Miss product’s confidence never wavered, but with 1.5 sacks and five pressures from 22 percent of the team’s snaps, there is even more growing to do.
Original Grade: ARegrade after Year 1: B
The next few months will be crucial for Umanmielen. Morgan wasn’t happy about the lack of pressure generated this season, and he plans to do something about it. Reinforcements are on the way, so the Manor High School graduate must respond accordingly.
Carolina Panthers drafted Nic ScourtonEdge Rusher | Texas A&M AggiesRound No. 2 | Pick No. 51
After the Carolina Panthers took a wide receiver at No. 8 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, finding an edge rusher capable of logging prominent reps immediately was the next objective. Dan Morgan swapped four picks with the Denver Broncos to surge up for Nic Scourton, a young yet highly gifted physical force with significant long-term upside.
It didn’t take long for Scourton to repay this faith. He was a key rotational piece right out of the gate. When Patrick Jones II suffered a season-ending back injury, he became a starter. By the end of the campaign, the former Texas A&M standout was the team’s most productive all-around edge defender.
Original Grade: ARegrade after Year 1: A
Scouton won’t turn 22 until late August, so there is just no telling how much he can improve with a little extra refinement. Regardless of what additions the Panthers make, he’s earned the right to start again in 2026.
Carolina Panthers drafted Tetairoa McMillanWide Receiver | Arizona WildcatsRound No. 1 | Pick No. 8
Most fans and experts thought the Carolina Panthers were going to take a defensive prospect with the No. 8 pick. Dan Morgan had other ideas, selecting wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan just one year after acquiring Xavier Legette.
It didn’t take long to realize the two players were not the same. Legette continues to struggle, but McMillan took the league by storm. He broke the rookie franchise record for receiving yards, previously held by Kelvin Benjamin. He went over 1,000 receiving yards and played with the swagger typically associated with No. 1 receivers around the league. More importantly, Morgan gained instant vindication for making the choice.
Original Grade: ARegrade after Year 1: A+
The Panthers didn’t overthink things with McMillan. They believed this was the player to finally take quarterback Bryce Young’s game to new heights. This was a shrewd move, and superstardom awaits if he continues on this upward trajectory.