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Carolina Panthers net Christian Rozeboom replacement in 2026 NFL mock draft

Carolina Panthers linebacker Christian Rozeboom is a free agent at the end of the season.
Jeremy Brener|
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III runs against Carolina Panthers linebacker Christian Rozeboom.
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III runs against Carolina Panthers linebacker Christian Rozeboom. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are focused on the final three weeks of the NFL season. But there are some people in the scouting department that have their eyes on players to select in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Sports Illustrated contributor Daniel Flick recently conducted a one-round mock draft where the Panthers selected Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 15 overall pick.

"Starting linebacker Christian Rozeboom is on a one-year contract, and the Panthers need to upgrade the middle of their defense regardless of Rozeboom’s future in Carolina. Styles is a unique prospect," Flick wrote.

"At 6' 4" and 243 pounds, he’s big and incredibly athletic—he transitioned from safety to linebacker in the spring of 2024, and he’s surprisingly ahead of the curve with blitzes and block deconstruction. Styles has the size, speed and skill to be an early starter, and he’s still adjusting to playing linebacker, which gives him an intriguing ceiling."

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles leaves the field following the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knight
Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles leaves the field following the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Styles could be selected by Panthers

The Panthers know as a franchise how to select strong linebackers. They did so with Luke Kuechly and Shaq Thompson, and that carried them through the better part of a decade.

Since Kuechly retired and Thompson left the team to sign with the Buffalo Bills, the Panthers have not had that signature linebacker on the defense. Styles could possibly be the next great linebacker in Panthers franchise history.

Styles has experience as a champion with Ohio State last year, and he will be competing for another national championship bid again in the College Football Playoff.

A lot of things have to happen in order for the stars to align, but if the Panthers find themselves picking in the first half of the draft because they do not win the NFC South and fall out of the playoff picture, Styles could be on the radar for the Panthers next year.

The Panthers are playing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week 16 for a crucial NFC South matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 PM ET inside Bank of America Stadium. Fans can watch the game on FOX or stream it on the FOX One app.

UCLA Bruins running back Anthony Woods runs the ball as Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles makes the tackl
UCLA Bruins running back Anthony Woods runs the ball as Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles makes the tackle | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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