Updated April 6, 2026, 1:08 p.m. ET

A lot of factors went into the Carolina Panthers‘ franchise-long playoff drought prior to the 2025 campaign. But the primary reason for their continuous struggles was the poor returns, year to year, from the NFL draft.

Carolina hit a home run with their class of 2017, landing running back Christian McCaffrey and offensive tackle Taylor Moton, among some other solid picks. However, they didn’t manage another strong class until last year, when general manager Dan Morgan put together an excellent bunch of picks—including potential long-term stars in wideout Tetairoa McMillan and outside linebacker Nic Scourton.

If the Panthers can follow it up with another great draft, they could be contenders again sooner rather than later.

But a new mock draft from ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell poses an interesting scenario. Rather than use their No. 19 overall pick on a prospect that could (in theory) turn into a reliable weapon for quarterback Bryce Young, Barnwell has them trading that selection to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for wide receiver Quentin Johnston.

He writes:

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.

The Panthers have targeted supersized receivers for their diminutive quarterback, and the 6-foot-4 Johnston fits the bill here. Drops have obviously been a concern, but Johnston can make contested catches and offers downfield explosiveness. He is coming off a 735-yard season in 2025, but Johnston was off to a hot start before the injuries at tackle and the ascension of tight end Oronde Gadsden limited his downfield opportunities…

In the mock trade, the Panthers move down three spots to pick at No. 22 and give up their fifth-round pick (No. 159 overall) in the process.

That’s a pretty reasonable deal for a receiver who’s put up over 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns over the last two seasons. Johnston also fits the prototype of receiver the Panthers have historically preferred—long and lanky over short and quick.

Barnwell does mention that there are concerns about Johnston’s hands. His career catch rate is under 60 percent and he has struggled with drops—especially in 2024, when he had seven.

Then again, those concerns may be overblown compared to his overall production. Johnston adds a broken-tackle ability that’s sorely missing from Carolina’s current receiver corps. The more of that the Panthers offense can get, the better.

It’s a risky trade proposal, but it’s not one that Morgan should dismiss out of hand. If they’re going to win a playoff game in the Bryce Young era at some point, they’re going to have to push their chips in—and filling out their offensive skill group with aggressive moves is exactly the way to do it.

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