5 NFL Draft Prospects the Carolina Panthers Would Actually Trade Up For

The Carolina Panthers were wildly aggressive in free agency. They went out and targeted their players, signing them to contracts few thought were even feasible (namely, Jaelan Phillips).

Dan Morgan is usually aggressive in moving up the draft board, though not usually in the first round and not usually into the top picks. But picking 19th means they might miss out on some great players that would fit so well. Here are a few we could see the Panthers being aggressive for.

Caleb Downs

Before the Combine and the start of the pre-draft process, Caleb Downs was seen as the best prospect in the class without factoring in positional value. He is an excellent defensive player.

Now, because he's a safety who has a potentially worrisome knee issue and doesn't have elite physical measurables, some experts are forecasting a slight slide for the Ohio State safety.

If Downs reaches the 12-15 range, Dan Morgan should be highly aggressive. The Panthers need a safety, and moving up a few picks to get Downs is much better than waiting on Emmanuel McNeil-Warren or Dillon Thieneman.

Sonny Styles

Some mock drafts had Sonny Styles near the Panthers' range, but then his Combine was historic. He's more likely to go top 10 than slide to the Panthers at 19, but stranger things have happened.

If he, like Downs, gets anywhere close to the Panthers, former linebacker Morgan should be extremely aggressive. The Ohio State linebacker went the entire season until OSU's final game before he missed a tackle.

And can you imagine a linebacker duo of Devin Lloyd and Sonny Styles for the next three years? The Panthers of old had amazing linebacker play, and this could be how they get back to that identity.

Carnell Tate

Sensing a trend here? The Ohio State wide receiver is viewed as the best prospect at his position in the class, but there's always a chance someone views Jordyn Tyson or even Makai Lemon as the right fit.

Tate would be a phenomenal addition to the Panthers' offense, especially if they're serious about giving Bryce Young weapons to play with. They need a tight end, but aside from Jalen Coker and Tetairoa McMillan, the wide receiver position is severely lacking.

Kenyon Sadiq

It's very possible that Kenyon Sadiq, who is by far the most sensible first-round target for the Panthers now, falls to 19. There's a range in which he could be picked that's honestly pretty big.

But thanks to his elite combine performance and the fact that he's far and away the TE1 this year, the Panthers may have to be aggressive. There's certainly a chance he gets scooped up before they pick, so Morgan might consider parting with a couple of picks to ensure that doesn't happen.

Francis Mauigoa

He's not the consensus top tackle, but plenty of draft boards view Francis Mauigoa as a top-10 prospect. The Panthers need a tackle, and he'd arguably be the best of the bunch in this deep draft class.

Carolina has Rasheed Walker through this year and Taylor Moton through 2027. Otherwise, the tackle position is in a bad spot, so being aggressive now will help ease the transition and set up for the future when those two (and Ikem Ekwonu) are no longer rostered.