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NFL Mock Draft Seemingly Forgets Rising Carolina Panthers Playmaker

The Panthers appear to have an up-and-coming wideout in Jalen Coker. A recent NFL mock draft apparently missed the fact that he finished 2025 with a bang.
Russell Baxter|
Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) makes a catch against Los Angeles Rams safety Kamren Kinchens (26) in the second half during the NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) makes a catch against Los Angeles Rams safety Kamren Kinchens (26) in the second half during the NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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With roughly a month before the star of NFL free agency (March 11) and just under 10 weeks before the start of the 2006 NFL draft, both are the subjects of numerous pieces voicing all kind of opinions.

NFL Draft Analyst Rob Rang of Fox Sports has come out with his mock draft. As has been commonplace, he has national championship quarterback and 2025 Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza going from Indiana University to the Las Vegas Raiders via the first overall pick on April 23.

Could the Panthers Grab Another Wideout in the First Round?

Fast forward to 18 picks later. Rang has the NFC South champion Carolina Panthers opting for a wide receiver in the first round for the third consecutive year. There was Xavier Legette (South Carolina) in 2024, Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) in 2025, and now Texas A&M’s Kevin Concepcion with the 19th overall selection.

Kevin Concepcion
Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) runs the ball against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

“For as good as Bryce Young and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan proved to be in their first year together, one has to wonder if there isn’t a lot more “meat on the bone” for the Panthers to enjoy with a second reliable playmaker added to the equation. Concepcion’s electric speed and elusiveness could be the perfect complement to T-Mac, as well as provide some spark to a return unit that has produced just one TD over the past eight years.”

Panthers’ WR Jalen Coker is a Player on the Rise

The point regarding Carolina’s special teams is certainly valid. In 2025, the Panthers ranked 25th in the league in punt return average, while only three teams in the NFL owned a worse kickoff return average. However, it appears that Rang overlooked the 2025 performance of second-year wideout Jalen Coker. Panthers’ general manager Dan Morgan sang the two-year pro’s praises last month.

The former undrafted free agent from Holy Cross didn’t take this field until Week 7, but he wound up finishing second on Canales’s team with 394 receiving yards (via 33 catches) and was tied for second on the club with three TD receptions.

In the wild 34-31 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the playoffs, Coker was targeted 12 times and caught nine passes for 134 yards and a touchdown. He’s slated to become an exclusive rights free agent next month, but he appears to be a player on the rise after overcoming injury early in 2025.

RELATED: Carolina Panthers Pick Correct Clemson Star in Post-SB Mock Draft

As for adding another wideout in the first round in April, apparently you can’t have enough good wide receivers in the NFL these days. However, Canales’s team has a screaming need for pass-rushing help, and Morgan may be of the mindset to add to this area with the 19th pick. The Panthers haven’t used a first-round selection on an edge-rusher since taking Florida State’s Brian Burns with the 16th overall selection in 2019.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.