Panthers NFL Draft Mailbag 3.0: Answering Important Questions We Still Have

The Carolina Panthers have concluded their 2026 NFL draft, and it was a big one. They traded up and down multiple times, adding plenty of talent. While there are no clear, immediate starters, everyone has a chance to play. We've still got questions to answer, though.

Why a tackle in the first round?

Georgia offensive lineman Monroe Freeling (OL24) during the NFL Scouting Combine | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Panthers absolutely had to take a tackle at some point in the NFL draft. They couldn't leave with one tackle under contract beyond this season and none on the left side. That is technically a future issue, but it needed to be addressed.

We would've preferred they wait and add a tackle on day two so that they could get a more immediate and necessary contributor in round one (Makai Lemon or Dillon Thieneman), but they were convinced that Monroe Freeling was the best tackle they could get this year and perhaps next, so they decided not to wait.

Why didn't the Panthers take an edge rusher?

This was a pretty deep edge rusher class and the Panthers still needed an edge rusher despite signing Jaelan Phillips. Carolina ignored the position entirely throughout the seven rounds, though. They ultimately felt that other prospects were better, and a common theme was best player instead of greatest need.

Plus, there weren't a lot of great options when they did pick. They could've had Akheem Mesidor (first round), Gabe Jacas (second), Jaishawn Barham (third), Trey Moore (fourth), and some others, but none of them were the best picks at the time. It truly just never materialized that way, otherwise the Panthers would've drafted one.

Which UDFA has the best chance at making the roster?

West quarterback Haynes King (10) passes the ball against the East during the second half | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

There are two candidates (so far) to watch here. The first is QB Haynes King. He obviously wasn't an elite prospect, but he doesn't have to be to beat out Will Grier as the third QB. It's a long shot, but there's a path for him since the Panthers do want a long-term backup after Kenny Pickett.

The other is offensive lineman Isaia Glass. Early in his career, he played multiple spots on the offensive line, so Carolina will value the versatility and depth he brings. They don't have much depth on the interior, so he has a shot at making it.

Which prospects should the Panthers have taken at their spots?

The Panthers did pretty well all around, and we need to trust Dan Morgan. That's back-to-back well-received drafts, and we all saw how last year's turned out. That said, there were a few picks we would've made differently.

In the first, we would've gone with Makai Lemon, then followed him up with Eli Stowers or CJ Allen in the second round. In the third, Chris Brazzell is good, but we would've had Lemon, so maybe Gennings Dunker there. Most of the complaints here are nitpicking, though.

Is this a better class than 2025?

There's virtually no chance the Panthers drafted the future Rookie of the Year, so 2025 probably gets the edge over 2026. However, this class could absolutely be deeper than its predecessor. They got a little bit out of their late-round picks last year, but these picks might have been better.

Chris Brazzell, Zakee Wheatley, Will Lee, Sam Hecht, and even Jackson Kuwatch could end up starting, whereas none of the late picks in 2025 ended up as starters, even though they did contribute.

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