Panthers predicted to pair Derrick Brown with Clemson superstar in 2026 NFL draft

The Carolina Panthers, barring a really stunning turn of events, won't need to look at quarterback in the 2026 NFL draft. They also won't, barring another stunning turn of events, be able to turn down a defensive player in the first round again, either. They will need a lot of defensive help still.

Fortunately, it's a good draft for that. There are a lot of QBs who could go early, like Arch Manning, Cade Klubnik, Garrett Nussmeier, and others, which will leave other positions to more easily slide to the Panthers, who took Peter Woods in Bleacher Report's early 2026 mock draft.

Panthers nab standout IDL in 2026 mock draft

Peter Wod — Nov 23, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) reacts after sacking The Citadel Bulldogs quarterback Johnathan Bennett (11) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images | Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

On the interior, the Panthers already have Derrick Brown, and they added Bobby Brown and Tershawn Wharton in free agency. However, that's still far from a dominant unit, and a game-changing prospect like Peter Woods can't be passed on in favor of Wharton or Brown (especially with Caleb Downs off the board).

So the Panthers, according to Brent Sobleski, will pick Woods. I'm not sure how they ended up with it, but the mock draft gave them the fifth overall pick, and they used it to give Brown a true runningmate to wreak havoc up the middle.

They did so in part because Bryce Young is the QB of the future. "As of now, he is the starter and the organization still believes in the upside of the 2023 first overall draft pick," Sobleski argued. "With quarterback off the board for now, the Panthers can take the best available prospect and build an identity on defense by placing Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods."

According to Sobleski, the DT is the second-rated prospect in the entire 2026 draft class, so getting him at all would be a huge win for the Panthers. He slid partly because of his position, which helped the Panthers.

B/R's Matt Holder scouted Woods and summed it up best, "By placing him alongside Derrick Brown and Bobby Brown III, Carolina would feature a nasty trio of interior defenders, who are all under 30 years old."

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