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2025 NFL draft: Panthers met with local prospect at huge position of need

The Panthers are looking into this local defensive lineman.
Zach Roberts|
Oct 19, 2024; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway (91) reacts after returning a fumble for a touchdown during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Oct 19, 2024; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway (91) reacts after returning a fumble for a touchdown during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

After boasting the league's worst rushing defense by a wide margin, the Carolina Panthers are probably hyperfocused on fixing the interior of the defense. Having Derrick Brown back will help, but the run defense in 2023, when he had a borderline All-Pro season, wasn't good, either.

Linebackers will help with that, but the Panthers have to start on the very interior alongside Brown. They've got to add another defensive lineman up front, and the draft is a great place to do that. Clearly, it's a focus of GM Dan Morgan and the front office, because they met with an interesting local prospect at the position.

Panthers met with local DT at Shrine Bowl

At the Shrine Bowl, the Carolina Panthers met with South Carolina Gamecocks defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway. The defensive tackle finished last season with 29 tackles, four sacks, 29 pressures, a forced fumble, a pass breakup, and two fumble recoveries.

Perhaps most importantly, he played all 13 games, starting 11 of them. Given how many players reached that total on the Panthers' defense, that's a hugely important stat. Hemingway also finished third-team All-SEC and could be on the Panthers' big board.

Hemingway would be a later-round pick. The Panthers not only need an impact player up front like Mason Graham, but they also need a lot of depth. The backups that got pushed into more playing time up front were obviously bad, as the Panthers yielded over 3,000 rushing yards in the season. Fewer than 10 NFL defenses have ever done that, so the Panthers will need Hemingway and more.

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Zach Roberts
ZACH ROBERTS

Zachary Roberts is a journalist with a wide variety of experience covering basketball, golf, entertainment, video games, music, football, baseball, and hockey. He currently covers Charlotte sports teams and has been featured on Sportskeeda, Yardbarker, MSN, and On SI.

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