Panthers predicted to trade down with Cowboys, target Texas superstar

A new mock draft from NFL.com has Carolina trading down with Dallas to the 12th overall pick and taking Jahdae Barron.

Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron celebrates a turnover against Clemson Tigers in thein the first round of the NCAA College Football Playoffs on Dec. 21, 2024, at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. | Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At this late point in the draft season it's great to see new scenarios for the Carolina Panthers and their first-round pick. Thanks to Gennaro Filice at NFL.com, we have a fresh one to chew on. In his new mock draft, Carolina trades down from the eighth overall spot to No. 12 with the Dallas Cowboys, who take super-popular Panthers mock pick Jalon Walker from Georgia.

Once the Panthers are on the clock again with the 12th overall selection, they use it on Texas Longhorns cornerback Jahdae Barron. This is the first time we've seen Barron connected to Carolina, which comes as a pleasant surprise. Here's what they shared about his game.

"Having just won the Jim Thorpe award as college football's top defensive back, the Texas product lined up all over the field as a starter for the last three seasons, deftly executing different techniques across myriad coverages... Jahdae can be the resourceful Robin to Jaycee's Batman."

The Panthers already have their Robin in the underrated and relatively cheap veteran Mike Jackson. However, Barron would qualify as a pretty radical upgrade over MJ. There are some (including CBS Sports) who have him ranked as the best cornerback in this class.

Barron (5-foot-11, 183 pounds) just earned All-American honors after posting five interceptions, 11 pass breakups and three tackles for a loss during the 2024 season.

For what it's worth Pro Football Focus had Barron graded out at 91.1 in coverage and 90.7 overall, which ranked third in the nation among cornerbacks. He also earned a strong mark (83.4) in run defense.

Drafting Barron would give the Panthers a lot more options on the back end of their defense, making it more difficult to scheme against what was the league's worst defense last year. Adding a piece like this rather than reaching for an edge rusher would be an A+ pick.

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