{"id":869558,"date":"2026-04-19T01:00:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T01:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/869558\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T01:00:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T01:00:35","slug":"25-best-nfl-draft-fits-for-the-panthers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/869558\/","title":{"rendered":"25 Best NFL Draft Fits for the Panthers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6i\">The Carolina Panthers have their own big board, and no one knows who is on it or how they rank. But based on their pre-draft activity, team fits, and prospect strengths, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nfl\/panthers\/onsi\/panthers-trade-dillon-thieneman-19-nfl-draft-kenyon-sadiq-omar-cooper\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">we can project a few options<\/a> at each of their selections. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6l\">Here are those prospects, ranked by impact and tiered by round they&#8217;re likely to go in. We&#8217;re also ignoring, at least in the first round, prospects like Jordyn Tyson or Makai Lemon since they probably won&#8217;t be an option. There will be no round 7 section since the Panthers&#8217; final pick is in the sixth round. <\/p>\n<p>Round 1 fits<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kpe7d8jyejhb0y56sj.jpg\" alt=\"Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) returns a punt during the second half \" title=\"Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) returns a punt during the second half \" width=\"1852\" height=\"1041\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"6y\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) returns a punt during the second half  | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nfl\/panthers\/onsi\/draft\/makai-lemon-kc-concepcion-denzel-boston-panthers-picks-nfl-success\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">WR KC Concepcion<\/a>S Emmanuel McNeil-WarrenTE Kenyon SadiqWR Denzel BostonS Dillon Thieneman<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"75\">Concepcion is the best option here. Sadiq would be nice, but the Panthers don&#8217;t utilize tight ends. Adding a shifty wide receiver would be better, although Sadiq is a smarter pick than big-bodied wideout Boston. The two safeties are really good options, but we&#8217;re not sure about Thieneman&#8217;s draft rise into round one. <\/p>\n<p>Round 2<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nfl\/panthers\/onsi\/luke-kuechly-reveals-ideal-lb-draft-pick-and-panthers-should-listen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">LB Jacob Rodriguez<\/a>OT Gennings DunkerEDGE R Mason ThomasS AJ Haulcy<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-8\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7e\">The Panthers love Rodriguez, and it would be a surprise if former LB Dan Morgan didn&#8217;t pick him. Dunker&#8217;s a popular name, but he&#8217;d be an ideal developmental pick behind the Panthers&#8217; current tackles. Haulcy was once <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nfl\/panthers\/onsi\/draft\/lsu-defender-labeled-perfect-panthers-addition-outside-round-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">called the perfect non-first-round pick for Carolina<\/a>, and we like the fit beside Tre&#8217;von Moehrig. <\/p>\n<p>Panthers in Round 3<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kpe7egjv09qb1h1hx9.jpg\" alt=\"Arizona Wildcats defensive back Treydan Stukes (2) against the Arizona State Sun Devils \" title=\"Arizona Wildcats defensive back Treydan Stukes (2) against the Arizona State Sun Devils \" width=\"2823\" height=\"1587\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"7r\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Arizona Wildcats defensive back Treydan Stukes (2) against the Arizona State Sun Devils  | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p>EDGE Keyron Crawford<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nfl\/panthers\/onsi\/panthers-linked-to-several-defensive-draft-picks-that-could-transform-unit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DB Treydan Stukes<\/a>C Jake SlaughterOT Caleb Tiernan<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7y\">Crawford might be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nfl\/panthers\/onsi\/draft\/panthers-edge-rusher-draft-keyron-crawford-auburn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">the most underrated edge rusher in the draft<\/a>, and he might be one of the best picks the Panthers can make. Stukes&#8217; hybrid ability at corner and safety makes him a fantastic option. Slaughter would be a good center development plan, and Tiernan is a fit because the Panthers hosted him on a top-30 visit. <\/p>\n<p>Round 4 fitsIDL Chris McClellanTE Oscar DelpIDL Tyler OnyedimOT Austin Barber<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-15\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"87\">Thanks to the Panthers&#8217; visits, we know exactly why these four players are fits. They met with every single one of them. Delp in particular is a probable selection, as one report suggested <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nfl\/panthers\/onsi\/draft\/panthers-oscar-delp-draft-tight-end-kenyon-sadiq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">he&#8217;s their ideal target<\/a>. We don&#8217;t know about that, but he&#8217;d be a solid addition to the offense. <\/p>\n<p>Round 5 fits<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kpe7fcav85vm2mcgn2.jpg\" alt=\"American Team quarterback Taylen Green (10) of Arkansas throws during American Senior Bowl \" title=\"American Team quarterback Taylen Green (10) of Arkansas throws during American Senior Bowl \" width=\"3600\" height=\"2025\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"8k\"\/><\/p>\n<p>American Team quarterback Taylen Green (10) of Arkansas throws during American Senior Bowl  | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p>LB Kaleb Elarms-OrrCB Domani JacksonCB Ephesians PrysockArkansas QB Taylen Green<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-19\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8r\">The Panthers met with Elarms-Orr, so if they don&#8217;t land a round-two LB, he makes perfect sense later on. Jackson and Prysock would be excellent depth\/development fits, as Prysock is similar to Jaycee Horn in some ways. Green would be the perfect backup QB for what the Panthers have said they need: mobility, athleticism, and youth. <\/p>\n<p>Round 6 optionsTE Dae&#8217;Quan WrightIDL Brandon ClevelandRB Kaelon BlackQB Sawyer Robertson<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-22\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"90\">The Panthers met with Wright, who could be the third straight late-round tight end option they&#8217;ve tried. They also met with Black, who is definitely a fit even if the Panthers don&#8217;t need another running back. Robertson met with the Panthers, and like Green, he fits the mold of their desired backup QB. <\/p>\n<p>Panthers prospects ranked in order regardless of round<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kpe7g8zwteqc9cxc56.jpg\" alt=\"Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez looks on during warmups before the Big 12 Conference championship \" title=\"Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez looks on during warmups before the Big 12 Conference championship \" width=\"2048\" height=\"1152\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"9d\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Texas Tech&#8217;s Jacob Rodriguez looks on during warmups before the Big 12 Conference championship  | Nathan Giese\/Avalanche-Journal \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-25\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9h\">If we were to rank all these by impact on the team, here&#8217;s how we&#8217;d do it:<\/p>\n<p>KC ConcepcionJacob RodriguezEmmanuel McNeil-WarrenKeyron CrawfordGenings DunkerAJ HaulcyJake SlaughterTreydan StukesChris McClellanOscar DelpKenyon SadiqKaleb Elarms-OrrEphesians PrysockCaleb TiernanDenzel BostonDillon ThienemanDomani JacksonTaylen GreenR Mason ThomasSawyer RobertsonTyler OnyedimAustin BarberBrandon ClevelandDae&#8217;Quan WrightKaelon Black<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-27\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9n\">If the Panthers get some of these prospects at the top of this list, it&#8217;ll be a successful draft. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\" class=\"shrink-0\"\/>Add us as a preferred source on Google<a aria-label=\"Follow si.com on Google News\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=si.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"flex h-[30px] w-[30px] shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-primary font-group-large text-sm font-medium text-white transition-colors hover:bg-secondary focus:bg-secondary md:w-auto md:gap-2.5 md:px-4 md:py-[5px]\">Follow<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Carolina Panthers have their own big board, and no one knows who is on it or how&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":869559,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2075],"tags":[235,260,2567,7,6,236],"class_list":{"0":"post-869558","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-carolina-panthers","8":"tag-carolina","9":"tag-carolina-panthers","10":"tag-carolinapanthers","11":"tag-football","12":"tag-nfl","13":"tag-panthers"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116428671970285259","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=869558"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869558\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/869559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=869558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=869558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=869558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}