PFSN 2026 NFL Mock Draft Has Carolina Panthers Taking TE In Round 2

Steve Bradshaw specializes in covering the NFL Draft, NFL, and Fantasy Football for TWSN. Notably, Bradshaw has been able to cover the NFL Combine with media credentials for TWSN.

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After missing on Xavier Legette, the Carolina Panthers got it right at wide receiver in the 2025 NFL draft. Outside of Tetairoa McMillan, there aren’t many other great weapons on this offense.

Especially when you consider this is a huge year for Bryce Young, entering his fourth season in the NFL, it makes the need to get more weapons even more urgent.

Today, we’ll be breaking down a draft selection from a recent PFSN mock draft, written by Ryan Moran. In this mock draft, Moran opens things up for the Panthers at 19 by going with Avieon Terrell.

While it’s not a huge reach, given the recent news around Terrell, it would be a bit shocking to see him go this high.

Clemson CB Avieon Terrell, a projected first-round pick in next month’s draft, aggravated his hamstring injury today on the first run of his private pro day at Clemson. https://t.co/R0JccTJG5M pic.twitter.com/bpwKA5XExb

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 30, 2026

Here’s a full breakdown on the situation from a past TWSN article on why Terrell likely won’t go in round one. That said, it sets the stage for Carolina to go offense in round two.

With that pick, Moran has the Panthers selecting Eli Stowers at pick No. 51.

Key Facts:

• Team: Carolina Panthers

• 2025 Record: 8-9

• 2026 NFL Draft Picks (Days 1 & 2): 19, 51 & 83

Does Eli Stowers Fit With the Carolina Panthers?

As mentioned above, the Panthers don’t have many weapons on this offense right now. Jalen Coker is a good player, but he would be a much better WR3 than WR2 for an offense.

Technically, Legette is still on the roster, but it’s tough to expect much at this point. However, pick 51 isn’t a great range to land a wide receiver. Instead, I would follow the strategy that Moran took and target one in round three.

Moran has the Panthers going with Stowers at 51 and Zachariah Branch at 83 in round three. We won’t dive too deep into the Branch pick, but the point is, Carolina can still fill their wide receiver need if they draft a tight end.

The idea of drafting Stowers doesn’t directly fill their need for another wide receiver, but it does give them a weapon. Stowers isn’t necessarily a complete tight end right now in terms of his blocking ability, but he’s a fantastic pass catcher.

Should the Carolina Panthers Draft Eli Stowers?

The Panthers actually drafted Ja’Tavion Sanders not too long ago, and he’s still 23 years old. Sanders was selected with pick No. 101 in the 2024 NFL draft, but he’s never had over 350 receiving yards in a season.

Tommy Tremble actually looks like the Panthers TE1, which is a problem. Tremble had more yards than Sanders last year, but he only had 249.

With both of these players being at least 250 lbs, ideally, they would still rotate in for more traditional tight end looks. Then you have Stowers at 6’4”, 239 lbs, acting as a threat from the slot almost exclusively until he can improve on his blocking.

All things considered, I’m a big fan of this selection. Stowers ranks 52nd on my big board, so this is right in line with where I believe he should be picked. As long as the Carolina Panthers can address this offense without reaching, the fans should feel good about their 2026 NFL draft.

Frequently Asked Questions

Eli Stowers College?

Eli Stowers played at Texas A&M from 2021 to 2022, New Mexico State in 2023 and Vanderbilt from 2024 to 2025.

Eli Stowers Age?

Stowers is 22 years old.

Eli Stowers Stats?

In 2025 Stowers had 62 catches for 769 yards.

Carolina Panthers Round 1 Pick?

The Carolina Panthers currently hold pick No. 19 in the 2026 NFL draft.

PFSN 2026 NFL Mock Draft Has Carolina Panthers Taking TE In Round 2

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