ESPN expert picks familiar but exciting picks for Panthers in NFL draft

Jalon Walker and Isaiah Bond aren't shocking picks, but they are enticing.

Jan 1, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Isaiah Bond (7) after winning the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The mock drafts for the Carolina Panthers, barring a few unpredictable exceptions, are beginning to look very much the same. Experts across the board are honing in on a few players who seem very likely to call Charlotte home next fall. Of course, the team can and will do whatever it wants, but there's almost a consensus.

With the eighth pick, the majority of NFL analysts predict that Jalon Walker, the Georgia edge linebacker hybrid, will be the pick to fix not one but two issues on defense. Then in the second round, so many expect Bryce Young's former teammate Isaiah Bond to rejoin him in the NFL.

ESPN's Mel Kiper is no different. He said there's "no change in his Panthers pick" at eight, saying Jalon Walker is an "explosive defender with bend and versatility." Kiper added, "I like him at off-ball linebacker - he'd make plays all over the field for the Panthers with sideline-to-sideline speed. But he could absolutely rush off the edge, too."

Then with the 57th pick, Kiper pegged Bond to have his name called. He said, "Landing Bond late in Round 2 would give the Panthers a young trio of pass catchers, joining sophomores Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker." Kiper said Bond has "good speed" and was a frequent scorer last year with Texas.

This may or may not be what GM Dan Morgan wants to do in the NFL draft. He has his own plan, but the analysts seem almost universally in agreement that this is the two-round plan the Panthers should have.

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