NFL Analyst Says Panthers Trade Up in First Round, but is it Warranted?

The Carolina Panthers’ leading rusher in 2025 has moved on. One NFL draft analyst has GM Dan Morgan making a bold love, but would it be a wise decision?

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs with the ball on his way to score a touchdown in the first half of a NCAA football game against Syracuse at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Over the weekend, Alec Elijah of Pro Football Sports Network came out with a three-round mock draft. He forecasts a pair of trades within the first 10 selections.

Elijah has the Dallas Cowboys dealing with the Cleveland Browns and moving up from the 12th overall pick to the sixth spot.

The second trade involves the defending the reigning NFC South champion Carolina Panthers, and it doesn’t come cheaply. The mock has Dave Canales’s club swinging a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. Panthers’ general manager Dan Morgan would obtain the 10th overall pick, and give up No. 19, a fourth-rounder (119) in the 2026, and a pair of selections (second- and fourth-round) in 2027. The target is big-play University of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.

Jun 11, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers Team Manager Dan Morgan signs an autograph during minicamp at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

NFL analyst has the Panthers making a bold move in the first round

“Following the departure of Rico Dowdle,” explained Elijah, “the Carolina Panthers may need to rethink their long-term plans at running back. Drafting Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football could provide an immediate spark to the offense, especially if the team remains uncertain about the futures of Chuba Hubbard or Jonathon Brooks.”

“Love enters the 2026 draft as one of the most highly regarded offensive prospects,” added Elijah, “ranked in the top five on the PFSN Consensus Big Board. What separates him from the rest of the running back class is his rare mix of power and athleticism.”

Jeremiyah Love 25 CAR, 167 YDS, 1 TD vs PITT Today.

Best RB in CFB? https://t.co/GLSO9puk9B pic.twitter.com/mI4lv2i8bS

— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) November 15, 2025

In his final two seasons with the Fighting Irish, the talented performer totaled a combined 3,104 yards from scrimmage and 40 touchdowns (35 rushing, 5 receiving) in only 28 games.

“Love runs with authority between the tackles while also possessing the versatility to impact the passing game, said Elijah, “making him a true difference-maker rather than just another rotational back.”

Is adding a running back in the first round crucial to the Panthers?

Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) reacts after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

It would be an intriguing move, but consider this. For a team that hasn’t posted a winning record since 2017, a trade that has the club swapping first-round picks and then tacking on three more selections (especially a second-rounder in 2027) seems like an awful high price to move up nine spots.

While Brooks’ status remains somewhat uncertain, Hubbard is a proven performer who ran for a career-best 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024. Carolina also used a fourth-round pick in 2025 on running back Trevor Etienne. All told, can Morgan and the Panthers really afford to give up that much draft capital?