2025 NFL draft: Panthers willing to do something other teams won't in Round 1

According to the echo chamber that is the conversation around the 2025 NFL draft, the Carolina Panthers are definitely taking Georgia Bulldogs edge/linebacker Jalon Walker with their eighth overall pick. At this point almost every mock draft has Walker coming off the board at that spot - and more than one Panthers beat reporter is doing their best to explain why Carolina "needs" Walker and why he is supposedly their best fit.

Somebody apparently forgot to tell the Panthers front office, because according to the latest reporting they are actually very much interesting in moving down from that 8th overall spot. According to Albert Breer at Sports Illustrated, Carolina is even willing to take a discount.

SI on Panthers' movitation to trade down

"But there's one team that's been a little more aggressive than the rest and that's the Panthers, who have the eighth pick. My understanding is the're willing to take a discount to move down in an effort to build up their war chest of picks. It's ineresting, too, because Carolina isn't hurting for volume with two fourths and three fifths."

This fits given what we know about this draft class and Carolina's roster needs - which are considerable. First of all, the motivation to trade down stems from a lack of blue-chip talent at the top of the draft. Aside from Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter and Mason Graham there are no real game-changing, must-have prospects who are expected to be taken in the top 10.

Odds are all three of them will be gone by the time Carolina is on the clock, which means it makes sense to move down and try to pick up picks on Day 2 - where the real meat of this draft class is supposed to be. Specificially, this class is deep on the edge and the interior defensive line, which has an obvious appeal for a team that was both the worst pass-rushing and worst run-defending unit in the league last season.

The Panthers also have major needs on the other side of the ball, where they have the weakest tight end room in the NFL and a bottom-five wide receiver corps. Upgrading both of those units to help Bryce Young along in his development have to be on the table. While it's a deep draft class at tight end, it's not so much at wide receiver, which probably has to be hit before Day 3 comes around.

As far as long-term needs go, the Panthers need depth at cornerback and linebacker and likely will need to take an offensive tackle, as it seems they're in no hurry to extend either Taylor Moton or Ickey Ekwonu.

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