Data Suggests Panthers Will Nail First 3 Draft Picks: Who Could They Be?

The Panthers do well in the first three rounds, but who could they pick?

Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Deion Burks (4) against the Alabama Crimson Tide | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Getting good players in the NFL draft is extremely important, as the Carolina Panthers well know. But perhaps the most important thing is getting value. Getting a first-round-level prospect in the second round is good, but taking a second-round prospect in the first, even if he's a good player, is not ideal.

Historically, though, the Panthers do well to find value in the first three rounds, which is generally where the best talent lies. Finding late-round gems is nice, but it's not a sustainable or bankable strategy. You've got to nail the first three picks.

Which teams draft closest to the consensus big board - and which ones consistently reach?

Since 2020, PIT and BAL have generated the best value in Rounds 1–3, while #SF has reached by more than 20 spots on average, by far the largest margin in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/rMcPTmrMqd

— SFdata9ers🏈📊 (@sfdata9ers) April 13, 2026

According to this data, the Panthers tend not to reach in the first three rounds, generally getting players everyone involved agrees are good and worthy to be selected in that range. Since 2020, they've done pretty well.

So with that in mind, which prospects could the Panthers be looking at in those first three rounds? Mock drafts, top-30 visits, and more may provide some insight.

Prospects the Panthers may draft with their first three picks

Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq (18) looks on before the game | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

In the first round, there are a few big options for the Panthers. Chief among them is Kenyon Sadiq, the Oregon tight end. They've not met with him, but the vast majority of mock drafts predict that the Panthers will pick him. Makai Lemon is also an option based on the projections.

Among those who they have met with, WRs KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston, and Omar Cooper Jr., CB Jermod McCoy, and OT Max Iheanachor are potential first-round prospects that the Panthers may end up taking.

In the second round, the Panthers could do any number of things, but their visits reveal some possible targets:

• OG Chase Bisontis
• OT Caleb Tiernan
• EDGE Keyron Crawford
• DB Treydan Stukes
• DB Jalon Kilgore
• LB Anthony Hill Jr.
• LB Jacob Rodriguez

Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez celebrates a BYU turnover | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In the third round, things get a little more tricky, but the Panthers have been doing their homework. Here are possible options based on mock drafts and who the team has spoken with:

• TE Oscar Delp
• TE Justin Joly
• IDL Domonique Orange
• S AJ Haulcy
• CB Malik Muhammad
• RB Kaelon Black
• IDL Nick Barrett
• WR Deion Burks
• WR Chris Brazzell II
• IDL Tyler Onyedim
• TE Da'Quan Wright
• OT Austin Barber

There's less value to be had in this range, but the Panthers have done pretty well there. Princely Umanmielen is the most recent example, and probably the best since GM Dan Morgan has only helmed two drafts.