Panthers May Have Been Genius to Pass on Surprising Prospect in NFL Draft

At almost every single draft pick, the Carolina Panthers had really good options to go with. Sometimes, they made head-scratching choices that left us wondering about the evaluation.

For example, the Panthers nabbed Lee Hunter in the second round over CJ Allen (and they obviously needed a linebacker), Eli Stowers (and they obviously needed a receiving tight end, too), and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

In future rounds, it's harder to evaluate, but there were still some interesting choices made by the Panthers. Perhaps the most interesting, though, was the decision to take Monroe Freeling in the first round.

Not only was Freeling not viewed as NFL-ready, but tackle was arguably not the most glaring issue (at the time). With Makai Lemon on the board, it was a huge surprise. We even heavily criticized the move at the time.

It has aged pretty well, because losing Taylor Moton was a huge blow that would be catastrophic without Freeling. Having to start undrafted Albert Reese IV or Stone Forsythe would just be asking for trouble.

Still, while we could all admit that having Freeling was key, the idea of Makai Lemon in this offense persisted, especially after Chris Brazzell II tore his LCL. Well, after the preseason, the Panthers look even more brilliant for snagging Freeling.

The Panthers were right to pass on Makai Lemon

Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Monroe Freeling is selected by the Carolina Panthers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Football is won and lost in the trenches. With that said, the Panthers seemingly already had what they needed in the trenches and not at the skill positions. Bryce Young needs help in a make-or-break year four, and he didn't really get it.

The Panthers were proven prescient when Taylor Moton went down, allowing Monroe Freeling to take over after being the first-round pick. After the preseason, it looks like they were prescient for passing on Makai Lemon, who everyone viewed as a surefire steal at that range.

Makai Lemon’s 2026 preseason:

1.0 yards per reception

#239-of-239 players this preseason

also:

0.6 yards per target (#239)

0.7 yards after catch per reception (#217)

(min 5 targets) pic.twitter.com/j2i1hJwy2w
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 29, 2026

Lemon was, to put it frankly, awful this preseason. The Panthers need help on offense, but it doesn't look like Lemon is truly ready to provide that. His numbers were putrid, and while he's likely to improve, the Panthers do not have the luxury of waiting.

Imagine if the Panthers had picked a third straight first-round wide receiver and he, like Xavier Legette, appeared to be a bust early on. It would change everything. Now imagine that plus having Stone Forsythe, who allowed the most sacks in the sport last year, as the starting right tackle.

We did not love the pick at the time, but we're willing to admit the Panthers front office may have knocked it out of the park with Freeling over Lemon.

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