NFL analyst says there's only one realistic defensive tackle the Panthers can draft in the first round

When the Carolina Panthers get on the board at eighth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, the top-tier prospects at their most pressing needs may be gone. It's looking more and more likely that Abdul Carter won't even sniff falling to eighth overall, and Mason Graham may not, either.

The defensive tackle spot is arguably the most important position for this Panthers' draft. Derrick Brown can help the run defense, but he can't do it alone. He'll need a dominant running mate in the middle of that porous defensive line. The only problem is, aside from Graham, there's really just one reasonable player at the Panthers' pick according to NFL analyst Joe Person.

NFL analyst says the Panthers have one main option at defensive tackle in the draft

Several of the latest mock drafts have Mason Graham going seventh overall to the New York Jets, so it wouldn't be a huge stretch for him to be available for the Panthers at the very next pick. However, in the likelihood, and it is likely, that he's not, there's probably only one other name on the interior that could come up that early in the draft: Derrick Harmin

Joe Person said, "According to Brugler, no FBS interior lineman created more pressures than Harmon in 2024. In his first season after transferring from Michigan State, the 6-5, 310-pound Harmon filled up the stat sheet with 45 tackles, 10 1/2 tackles for loss, five sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and four pass breakups."

It remains to be seen if the Panthers view Harmon as more impactful given his position than Mykel Williams, Jalon Walker, or other defenders the Panthers could take. They have a lot of holes on defense, so it's not as if they can avoid them all to draft a DT right now.

Harmon is not as highly-touted as Graham, so the Panthers may opt to go best player available, which probably ends up being Walker in all likelihood. If they do, Harmon likely won't be the pick. But if they're bent on fixing that interior above all else, then this is probably the man they're honing in on.

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