Panthers Second-Round Draft Prospects Who Could Be Day 1 Starters in Carolina

The Carolina Panthers should draft an edge rusher in the first round this year. Not only is it a deep class, but a quick glance across the league reinforces the idea that the best of the best are found in the first round.

The Panthers can, like they did last year with Nic Scourton, get good players later on off the edge. But to really take the position up a notch and transform the defense, they need someone like Keldric Faulk, Akheem Mesidor, T.J. Parker, or Cashius Howell.

So for the purposes of this article, we're going to assume the Panthers will grab an edge first. Are there any immediate starters the Panthers can go after in round 2?

Day-1 starters for the Carolina Panthers in NFL draft round 2

Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) looks on during the game | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

There are a lot of other positions the Panthers could target in round two after addressing the edge:

Inside linebacker
Safety
Wide receiver
Tight end
Interior defensive lineman
Cornerback
Offensive tackle

Out of those positions, the hole is glaring enough that the Panthers could find an immediate starter at offensive tackle, safety, inside linebacker, and tight end.

Offensive tackle

The left tackle spot needs a body for at least 2026 and perhaps beyond thanks to Ikem Ekwonu's injury. Fortunately, the second-round is where the Panthers might find their guy. The following could be available:

Monroe Freeling
Blake Miller
Dametrious Crownover

Freeling might be a stretch, but he's a fringe first-rounder who some analysts are concerned will be overdrafted. If that is the case, he could slide right to the Panthers.

Miller and Crownover will probably be there, so it just depends on what the Panthers want to do. Either one could start.

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Safety

Oregon Ducks defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) reacts after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions | James Lang-Imagn Images

Some big boards have Dillon Thieneman as a first-round prospect; others do not. If the actual draft suggests he's not a first-round prospect, then falling to the Panthers in the second round would be unsurprising.

And if he does, he'd be an immediate starter opposite Tre'von Moehrig. He's better (and less similar to Moehrig) than Lathan Ransom, and Nick Scott is likely not returning in free agency. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren would also be a day-one starter in the second round.

Linebacker

If I had to choose which position the Panthers will target after edge in round two, I'd go with linebacker. GM Dan Morgan is a former ILB, and the position has been lacking in the last few years. It's also a very deep rookie class.

The following could all be round-two prospects and would immediately become a starter in the middle of the Panthers defense:

Anthony Hill Jr.
Jake Golday
Jacob Rodriguez
Kyle Louis

One of them is highly likely to become a Panther unless Carolina snags Sonny Styles or CJ Allen in the first round.

Tight end

It's a stretch to think the Panthers will pick a tight end here. It is a hole, but unless they draft Kenyon Sadiq in round one, it's hard to envision them taking a prospect here instead of rolling with Tommy Tremble, Ja'Tavion Sanders, and Mitchell Evans.

But if they do, Max Klare, Joe Royer, and Eli Stowers are all potential second-round prospects that would probably win the job over Sanders and Evans, with Tremble likely being cut in this scenario.