Carolina Panthers Play Chess, Ace 5th-Round Pick With K-State Center Sam Hecht

The Carolina Panthers entered the draft with one center on the roster, Luke Fortner. After the 144th selection, they now have two. Kansas State center Sam Hecht has now joined the Panthers, and he is an incredible steal at this point.

Sam Hecht is a Carolina Panther.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) April 25, 2026

He's ESPN's 80th-ranked prospect, but he's the second-best center in their rankings, so the Panthers made out like bandits here. He is the perfect player to develop behind Fortner for a season and take over as the long-term Cade Mays replacement.

The Panthers manipulated the draft board and played chess to come out on top like this. By trading back in the fourth round twice, they were able to get the 144th pick, which has now been spent on Hecht.

We weren't sure why Carolina passed on Sam Hecht (and Jalon Kilgore or Justin Joly, for that matter, all three of whom were still on the board here), but circling back here to get him is a masterclass.

The Panthers needed a center because if Fortner went down, they had literally no one else on the roster who could even play the position. They also don't have Fortner under contract beyond this year, so this was a major need.

Sam Hecht is the perfect Panther

Kansas State Wildcats offensive lineman Sam Hecht (75) against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights d | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Panthers had plenty of really good options with their 144th pick. Dan Morgan may have gotten off to a rocky start, but he's done really well in the later rounds for the second straight year. Sam Hecht in the fifth is perhaps the best non-Tetairoa McMillan pick he's made.

Sam Hecht was drafted in round 5 with pick 144 in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 7.76 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 166 out of 735 OC from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/CDIEJCV7kC pic.twitter.com/dxRDOKZFjy
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 25, 2026

He's got the size and athleticism to be a pretty great run blocker, much like Mays was when he got going downhill. If the Panthers can get Hecht out into space, he might be a walking (or running) nightmare for smaller defenders.

The Panthers have done well in this draft to address future issues, adding a cornerback, center, and left tackle with players at those spots entering free agency after this year. However, doing that in the fifth round as opposed to the first round is incredibly smart.

Now, the Panthers have a young duo in Monroe Freeling and Sam Hecht who could wreak absolute havoc on the opposing defensive lines they face for years to come. The Panthers have invested heavily in the trenches during this draft, and it should pay off for them. That is often where football is won and lost.

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