Panthers NFL Draft Review: Immediate Starters, Sleepers, and Long-Term Bets

The Panthers may not have had the most perfect draft, but they did pretty well once again.

Georgia offensive lineman Monroe Freeling (OL24) speaks to members of the media | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Most analysts agree that the Carolina Panthers had one of the best drafts in the entire NFL. Plenty are absolutely thrilled with the Monroe Freeling selection, although we're not totally sold that it was the best move they could've made there.

We're also not convinced the Panthers needed to trade up for Lee Hunter in round two, but he's a good player, and the picks from then on out were pretty great, the seventh-round flier notwithstanding.

Nevertheless, this was a strong draft class for the second year in a row. The Panthers really nailed it on day three in particular. Who are the sleepers, starters, and long-term projects among them?

Panthers' sleepers from 2026 draft

Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (17) catches the ball in the end zone for a touchdown | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We believe Chris Brazzell will be a starter, at least in terms of replacing Xavier Legette as the WR3. But that's hardly taking on a huge role in the offense, so we're deeming the former Tennessee wideout a sleeper.

He has the size and speed combination that Carolina liked with Legette, but there's a better chance Brazzell will pan out like Legette hasn't. He is an explosive athlete, and his route-running is excellent. He's a little big for our taste since the other wide receivers are also tall, but he could be a steal.

Zakee Wheatley is also a sleeper, even though there is a good chance he starts as well. He will have to compete with Nick Scott, a veteran the Panthers weirdly like, and Lathan Ransom, another sleeper pick from last year who has a year's experience on him.

He faces an uphill battle, but like Ransom, we fully expect him to play plenty in 2026 and be a contributor on defense. Getting that out of a fifth-round pick is pretty impressive, and Wheatley is one to watch.

Instant starters

What's interesting about this draft class is that it doesn't have immediate, clear starters. Had the Panthers drafted more for need, they would have had Dillon Thieneman or Emmanuel McNeil-Warren immediately becoming the starting safety, for example.

This class has seven players, all of whom will be in a camp battle of sorts. The only one that feels truly like an instant starter is DT Lee Hunter, who will take Bobby Brown's nose tackle spot. That's no guarantee, though.

Monroe Freeling isn't an immediate starter at left tackle, but it's extremely likely. Sam Hecht may start at center, but it's not a foregone conclusion. Zakee Wheatley could earn the job. Chris Brazzell may be the WR3. Everyone's in play.

That includes seventh-rounder Jackson Kuwatch. With the lack of depth at linebacker behind Devin Lloyd, he could end up taking Trevin Wallace's spot. That feels like the least likely occurrence out of all these, but it's plausible.

Long-term bets

Kansas State Wildcats offensive lineman Sam Hecht (75) against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With that in mind, the Panthers weren't totally future-oriented with long-term bets like they were in 2025 with Cam Jackson or 2024 with Jonathon Brooks coming off a torn ACL. But three players figure to be long-term developmental plans who may end up starting. That's the true value of this class.

Sam Hecht could start, but if he doesn't, he is going to be developed as the long-term starting center. The same is true for Monroe Freeling. He's going to have a good shot at starting, but he only has one year of experience starting. If not, he's the easy starter in 2027.

Then there's Jackson Kuwatch. Because he's a seventh-rounder, he doesn't have an easy path to playing time, but the team clearly likes him, or else they'd have taken some of the more instantaneously impactful players with their final pick.