The Best Late-Round Steals in Panthers' History (And Why They Slipped)

Getting late-round gems is no exact science, but teams that win usually pull it off. The Carolina Panthers may not be the most successful NFL franchise of all time, but they've won before, and they've done so thanks to a few key late-round picks.

These players don't usually end up in the Hall of Fame, but they do contribute and help their teams. Just finding a contributor in the fourth round or later is a win, and some of these players were big draft wins.

Chuba Hubbard, 2021

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) runs on to the field before | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Whether or not he is a true star running back is irrelevant. Chuba Hubbard is one of the most successful late-round picks in Panthers' history. The fact that he's a starter in the NFL five years later is impressive.

2020 was a bad year for Hubbard in college, so despite his excellent career beforehand, there were concerns about his NFL viability. His draft stock tanked a bit, and the Panthers took advantage, though he was initially just a backup.

Harrison Butker, 2017

The Panthers had the foresight to spend a 2017 seventh-round pick on Harrison Butker. They did not have the foresigh to go with him over Graham Gano that training camp, but the pick was a good one nonetheless.

Kickers rarely ever even get drafted (see: Ryan Fitzgerald, 2025). It's usually a bit of a surprise when they do, but the Panthers nailed this one. It's just a shame they didn't get to reap the benefits while Butker became a multi-time champion.

Tre Boston, 2014

For several years, Tre Boston was one of the most impactful defensive backs the Panthers had. He was instrumental during his tenure at setting the tone and being a leader on one of the league's best units. He's still a fan favorite.

He fell in the draft because of concerns about his athleticism at the next level, which plagues a ton of late-round draft picks. He was viewed as perhaps too raw for the league. The fourth-rounder also had trouble with tackling consistently, but that didn't hurt as much in the NFL.

Josh Norman, 2012

Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman (24) reacts after a play during the fourth quarter | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Fifth-round picks don't get much better than this. Carolina Josh Norman was a problem for wide receivers. He fell off shortly after leaving, but he was a genuine lockdown cornerback during his time, and he made a Pro Bowl and All-Pro team.

College competition at Coastal Carolina played a role in his draft spot. The competition just wasn't good enough to ensure he'd translate. There were also some character concerns about his confidence, which did show up in the NFL but weren't really problematic (other than his fight with Cam Newton).

Greg Hardy, 2010

Full transparency, Greg Hardy is a terrible person off the field. But on the field, he was a pretty great player for a sixth-round draft pick. He made a Pro Bowl team during his career, and he had 34 sacks in 40 games for the Panthers, which is a pretty great rate.

Hardy's NFL Combine performance back then was uninspiring. He also had injuries during his college tenure, which definitely contributed to his slide into the sixth round, where the Panthers took advantage.

Captain Munnerlyn, 2009

Any time a seventh-round player has a 10-year career, that's pretty good. Not to mention, Captain Munnerlyn was pretty solid during his tenure. He had 21 takeaways during his career, and he returned five interceptions for touchdowns.

Effort questions, size, and durability issues cropped up before the draft, and he wasn't a home-run prospect to begin with. The seventh round was pretty fair for him, but he proved to be a gem for the Panthers.

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