7 Under-the-Radar Prospects Linked to Panthers Before NFL Draft

The Carolina Panthers are going to draft someone notable in the first round. Barring a surprise, a surprise like the one we covered here, the first prospect they take will be someone well-known to fans. Kenyon Sadiq. Makai Lemon. Blake Miller. Someone like that.

The second round will be similar. The Panthers may end up with Anthony Hill Jr., Jacob Rodriguez, or another player whose name has been tossed around many times by analysts, including our own here, who have looked beyond the first round.

But after that, there's sure to be some under-the-radar prospects that fans aren't so familiar with. In an effort to try to prevent mass confusion on draft weekend, we've compiled a list of some of those prospects who have been linked to the Panthers.

Georgia TE Oscar Delp

Georgia Bulldogs tight end Oscar Delp (4) rushes as Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Justin Jefferson | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

There's a temptation to believe it's Kenyon Sadiq or bust at tight end. After all, why bother with another mid-round prospect like Ja'Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans? The Panthers disagree, and earlier this week, they hosted Georgia TE Oscar Delp.

Like Sadiq, Delp is viewed as a vertical threat, something we've noted that the Panthers clearly don't have. He's also a pretty good blocker, something Sadiq is not. He's been compared to Robert Tonyan, and Bleacher Report even graded him similarly to Ja'Tavion Sanders as a prospect, so it makes some sense in the third round or beyond.

Arizona DB Treydan Stukes

#Arizona CB Treydan Stukes, a nickel defender who can also play safety, has visits this week with the #Eagles, #Falcons, and #Panthers, source said. He's already visited the #Cowboys, #AZCardinals, #Titans, and #Rams. pic.twitter.com/FPYc4qMLm0
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 6, 2026

The Panthers need safety help. They also need cornerback depth. Why not get both in one fell swoop? Arizona DB Treydan Stukes is the perfect example of that. He can play both positions, giving the Panthers another chess piece like Tre'von Moehrig and Jaelan Phillips.

Lance Zierlein's scouting report claims that Stukes "has work to do in man coverage." This is not a problem at all, because the Panthers run a zone scheme that would be able to mask his deficiencies better than other teams.

Georgia Tech QB Haynes King

The Panthers expressed a desire to get more mobile behind Bryce Young. Kenny Pickett is more mobile than Andy Dalton, but so is a statue. Regardless, Pickett's around for one contractual year, so the issue hasn't resolved itself fully.

Enter Haynes King. The Panthers hosted him, and he is mobile. The QB ran for 2,427 career rushing yards during his college tenure, including a career-high of 953 in his final season. It doesn't get much more mobile.

LSU S AJ Haulcy

LSU safety A.J. Haulcy (13) walks the field before the game with Alabama | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Did we mention the Panthers need safety help? It's arguably the biggest need remaining on the roster, as Nick Scott is currently projected to slot back in opposite Moehrig. The draft can and should be a way to fix that issue.

One NFL analyst posited that LSU safety AJ Haulcy is the best possible addition for Carolina outside the first round. It's easy to see why, and since the Panthers have already hosted him, they apparently agree.

Texas A&M C Trey Zuhn III

Cade Mays is going to leave a massive (literally and figuratively) hole in the center of the Panthers' offensive line. He was a crucial figure, but he also stood 6'6" and weighed 325 pounds. He was a force to be reckoned with. Luke Fortner (6'4" 300 pounds) doesn't quite live up, and he's on a one-year contract anyway.

Texas A&M center Trey Zuhn III is massive at 6'7" and 312 pounds, one of the most similar prospects to Mays in that regard. He also, like Mays, has played all the other positions on the offensive line. It's a perfect succession plan.

Missouri LB Josiah Trotter

We all know about the love Dan Morgan seems to have for Jacob Rodriguez and Anthony Hill Jr. at linebacker. He's not alone. Lots of teams are in on those two. Instead, Morgan can look in the mirror to find a better option.

Morgan was listed at 6'2" and 245 pounds for the Panthers, a stature he knows can work really well. Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter is 6'2" and 237 pounds, a nearly perfect match. Plus, he's been compared to Devin Lloyd, and the Panthers would love two Lloyds. We even mocked Trotter to Carolina in one of our mock drafts. The fit is excellent.

Zierlein wrote, "He stacks backfield production with well-timed run blitzes and crafty rush work. Coverage is the concern, with spotty zone awareness/spacing and the risk of being mismatched in man."

Once again, the zone scheme would work wonders for him, and his blitz/rushing prowess would give Ejiro Evero a great weapon to use, unlike the 2025 Panthers linebackers, who could never get home on rushes.