Regular Season Grades for the Carolina Panthers 2025 Draft Class

After winning the NFC South with a record of 8-9, the Carolina Panthers are preparing for their first trip to the NFL postseason since the 2017 season. But now that the regular season has ended, how did the 2025 draft class for General Manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales fare in their inaugural season?

WR Tetairoa McMillan: McMillan should win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year this season after posting 70 catches for 1,014 and seven touchdowns, with 55 of his catches going for first downs. Head coach Dave Canales stated during the season that McMillan was the focal point of the passing game for quarterback Bryce Young. The area where McMillan struggled was drops, officially credited with eight drops on the season per Pro Football Reference, dropping 6.6% of his targets. Overall, a great start to the career of McMillan. Grade: A-

TMac 🔛🔝

Tetairoa McMillan was the lone rookie receiver to hit 1,000 yards this season 😼 pic.twitter.com/vC9Eqsipyk
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) January 5, 2026

OLB Nic Scourton: Scourton finished tied on the team for most sacks (5.0) and had one of the biggest plays against the Seattle Seahawks, where his strip sack of Seahawks QB Sam Darnold led to a first half field goal that tied the game, 3-3. While not receiving many snaps early in the season, his usage increased as the season went along, playing nearly 68% of the defensive snaps this year. Scourton turned 21 years old AFTER training camp ended, and has a bright future ahead of him. He’ll be a solid player for the Carolina Panthers for a long time. Grade: B+

OLB Princely Umanmielan: Umanmielan was a rotational depth player this season, playing 21% of the defensive snaps, while also contributing on special teams, playing nearly 22% of saps on specialty units. Umanmielan finished the regular season with 1.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. His role looks to be a rotational pass rusher. Grade: C+

RB Trevor Etienne: Primarily used as a kick and punt returner, Etienne averaged 8.2 yards per punt return (17th in the NFL), and 23.6 yards per kick return (43rd in the NFL), while fumbling twice on the year. Etienne did gain 94 yards on 20 carries (4.7 YPC) in limited action with the offense. Grade: C

S Lathan Ransom: Ransom provided valuable depth and carved out a role in dime packages on defense. Ransom’s impact grew as the season progressed with his best moments coming late in the season. With safety Tre’Von Moehrig suspended against the Los Angeles Rams, Ransom stepped into a starting role and finished with 11 total tackles and a sack. Two games later against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ransom intercepted quarterback Baker Mayfield to seal the win for the Panthers. Ransom has the makings to be a mainstay in the secondary for Carolina, including a potential starter at safety. Grade: B+

DT Cam Jackson: Jackson played in nine games this season, finishing with nine total tackles while getting minimal playing time. Jackson’s biggest moment came in the final game of the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, blocking a field goal attempt in the fourth quarter with the Panthers trailing 16-7. Carolina would score on the ensuing drive. The impact was small overall on the season, but Jackson has the size and physical traits to be a depth player on the defensive line. Grade: C

TE Mitchell Evans: Evans found himself in a three-way rotation at tight end with Tommy Tremble and J’Tavion Sanders much of the season. Evans caught 19 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns, with his biggest play being a late game reception Week 6 against the Miami Dolphins, which proved to be a game-winning touchdown grab. Dave Canales has often deployed Evans in two- and three-tight end personnel sets and has held up well as a blocker despite minimal targets. Evans should continue to be a solid contributor for the foreseeable future for Carolina. Grade: B-

WR Jimmy Horn, Jr.: Horn was a healthy inactive for the first four games of the season, and was given a limited role in the offense after being inserted into the lineup. He finished the season with eight carries for 69 yards to go with 11 catches for 108 yards. Despite lacking size, his speed is noticeable on a team that overall lacks top-end speed on offense. Grade: C

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