Carolina Panthers met with 'highly intriguing' WR prospect at the Hula Bowl

Wide receiver should be a high priority for the Panthers' front office going into the 2025 offseason.

BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA - NOVEMBER 30: Ali Jennings #0 of the Virginia Tech Hokies catches the ball over Jam Jackson #9 of the Virginia Cavaliers in the second half during a game at Lane Stadium on November 30, 2024 in Blacksburg, Virginia. | (Photo by Ryan Hunt/Getty Images)

This offseason the Carolina Panthers have a few clear position needs that must take precedent above all other concerns. Defense has to come first, as the Panthers desperately need help pretty much everywhere but cornerback on that side of the ball. However, Carolina also has to radically upgrade the wide receiver corps to help unlock Bryce Young's full potential.

There's a lot of homework to do regarding the 2025 class of wide receiver prospects, and that work has begun in earnest now that the regular season is over and the Panthers are out of the playoff picture. According to Ryan Fowler at The Draft Network, Carolina met with Virginia Tech wide receiver Ali Jennings at the Hula Bowl.

Jennings (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) has had an interesting college career. He started out playing his first two seasons at West Virginia, where he didn't see much action, totaling just 20 catches, 445 yards and five touchdowns. From there he moved on to Old Dominion, where he did his best work at the college level. Jennings posted 116 catches, over 2,000 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. Jennings has played the last two seasons at Virginia Tech but injuries have taken a toll on his production.

According to Fowler's scouting report on Jennings, he's a fluid pass catcher who has great awareness in space, is creative adding yards after catch and has soft hands. Here's a portion of it.

"Ali Jennings is a fluid pass-catcher whose playmaking ability showcases an intriguing athlete on the outside. While Jennings’ health remains of the utmost importance (missed the majority of 2023), his athleticism and playmaking ability remain highly intriguing."

Fowler believes Jennings could be best put to use in the slot at the next level. Injuries are a significant concern, though. For now, Jennings is projected to come off the board on Day 3 of the draft.

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