The Greatest First-Round Picks in Panthers History - The Ones Who Changed Everything

When the Carolina Panthers pick someone with the 19th pick this month, they'll be entering a pretty elite class of Panthers' first-round picks. There have certainly been busts (Vernon Butler, anyone), but the Panthers have actually done a generally good job in round one.

Some of them, though, have been franchise-altering. These players totally changed the course of the team at the time, making them not only good picks but the only ones the Panthers could've made to stay afloat.

Cam Newton, 2011

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) scores a touchdown in the third quarter | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Any time you draft an MVP quarterback, that's pretty much the best pick a team can possibly make. Even if it's with the first overall pick, that's still an incredible win. No player is a sure thing, and Newton wasn't.

But even now, he remains the best pick this franchise has ever made. Without him, they'd have remained irrelevant for the 2010s, and there's a possibility they would've moved out of North Carolina had it not been for that.

Luke Kuechly, 2012

To follow up Cam Newton with Luke Kuechly, the best defensive player perhaps in their history and perhaps the best linebacker in NFL history (on a season-for-season basis, since longevity doesn't apply) is unfathomable. The fact that the team mismanaged two generational players for eight seasons is a crime.

Still, Kuechly is a Hall of Famer now. He never missed an All-Pro team, always at least making Second-Team but landing five First-Team nods. He was nearly a first ballot Hall of Famer off just eight seasons in the NFL, which is unheard of.

Julius Peppers, 2000

Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers (90) lines up during the game | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

Another Hall of Famer, Julius Peppers, changed the Panthers. He was a true force to be reckoned with off the edge. To this day, the Panthers really have not had a pass rusher of his caliber. Honestly, it hasn't been close.

Peppers made the Hall of Fame largely due to his Panthers exploits, although he was not exclusively a Panther. Still, this is as much a hit on a first-rounder as you can possibly have.

Derrick Brown, 2020

Derrick Brown over Isaiah Simmons was a bold choice in 2020, but then-GM Scott Fitterer struck gold with the pick (for once). Brown is a borderline superstar, despite the lack of accolades because the NFL world cares little for a defensive lineman on a bad team.

Brown's supremely underrated, and if they'd drafted almost anyone else in 2020, they'd be worse off even now. Nailing that pick might not have yielded a ton of wins (there are other factors at play) but it was one smart decision amid a string of horrible ones that's still paying off.

Jordan Gross, 2003

Jordan Gross was one of the best left tackles of the 2000s, and he helped pave the way for some elite running back play and protected a lot of quarterbacks in his time. Simply getting the most important lineman right in the first round is reason for applause.

But Gross was also a franchise icon for a long time. He held it down without much issue for a long time, something fans of the 2000s likely took for granted. We learned quickly what not having a good left tackle for Cam Newton did once Gross retired. His absence changed the franchise for the worse.

Tetairoa McMillan, 2025

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) during pregame warm ups | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Winning Rookie of the Year certainly makes you one of the best first-round picks for a franchise, and the Panthers selected ROTY Tetairoa McMillan eighth overall just a year ago. But beyond that, he might've bought Bryce Young a new contract.

Without McMillan, it's hard to envision where Young would've been. Xavier Legette, the previous first-rounder, was horrendous, so without McMillan, Young certainly wouldn't be in contention for an extension now. That drastically changed the franchise's outlook, even if it's still early.

Christian McCaffrey

Christian McCaffrey might be a Hall of Famer someday. He's one of the most talented two-way running backs to ever play the game. He may one day be more remembered as a 49er, but he'll always be a Panther.

The running back was picked eighth overall. Despite his talent, this was seen as a reach. Quickly, though, he proved everyone wrong and proved the Panthers right for drafting a historic talent in the first round. For a while, he was the Panthers offense all on his own.

Add us as a preferred source on Google