Panthers finally land partner for Tre'Von Moehrig with Lathan Ransom pick

Carolina gets the safety that their defense so desperately needed to complete the look.

Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Lathan Ransom (8) tackles Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner (26) during the third quarter of the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The biggest contract that the Carolina Panthers gave to an outside free agent this year was former Las Vegas Raiders safety Tre'Von Moehrig. His three-year, $51 million deal is not only their biggest acquisition this year - it represented their greatest investment at the position in franchise history.

You can argue that the Panthers overpaid just a little bit for Moehrig, but they went into this offseason with the worst safety room in the entire NFL, which makes splurging for a serious improvement a good idea. Moehrig wasn't enough to complete the picture, though - the Panthers still needed to find another starter to pair with him after both Xavier Woods and Jordan Fuller left in free agency after bombing in 2024.

Good news - Carolina has finally checked that box, landing a legitimate starter in Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft, at No. 122 overall.

Jul 1, 2019; Frisco, TX, USA; Defensive back Latham Ransom participates in drills at The Opening at the Ford Center at The Star. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Ransom (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) isn't much of a ballhawk, but he will help out in the one area that stood out among many problems as the Panthers' greatest weakness: stopping the run. Woods and Fuller were completely overwhelmed in this department last season, but the Panthers have now scored two serious upgrades in this department. Moehrig is one of the best run-defending DBs in the NFL and Ransom was one of the best in college football.

Last season Pro Football Focus graded Ransom out at 93.7 in run defense, which ranked first in the nation among safeties with enough snaps to qualify. Ransom also earned high marks (87.3) as a pass rusher. However, his coverage grade was only a mediocre 66.2. That was also a signfiicant problem for Carolina's safeties last season and will be something to monitor moving forward.

As to where he'll line up, the short answer is everywhere. Last season for the Buckeyes Ransom put in almost 500 snaps as a deep safety, 226 more in the box and another 100 or so split between the slot, the line of scrimmage and the boundary. That versatility is also a selling point for Moehrig and together they will give defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero a lot more flexibility regarding his formations.

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