Panthers Could Partner With Champion Seahawks On D'Angelo Ponds Draft-Day Trade

The Carolina Panthers have been aggressive in moving up in GM Dan Morgan's tenure. They have moved up three times in the second round (or into the first) under Morgan, jumping ahead to snag Xavier Legette, Jonathon Brooks, and Nic Scourton.

There's certainly a chance the Panthers do that again. A trade-up is likely, and it very well could feature an early second-rounder or late first-rounder, potentially giving the Panthers two round-one prospects.

In Moe Moton's latest for Bleacher Report, he mocks the Panthers to trade up to 32 and select a standout Indiana prospect with the Seattle Seahawks' pick.

Panthers may not want to trade up with Seahawks in NFL draft

Carolina Panthers team manager Dan Morgan during Fanfest at Bank of America Stadium | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers absolutely do need cornerback depth. For one thing, Mike Jackson is 29 and a free agent at year's end, which is to say that he's likely on his final run with the Panthers, even if it's a solid season again.

But even now, the Panthers don't have depth behind him and Jaycee Horn. They have Chau Smith-Wade in the slot and the injured Corey Thornton as depth. That's just not great, especially considering Horn's injury history.

So it's not at all surprising to see the Panthers target a corner in Moton's mock draft, but it is suprising to see them move all the way back into the first round (from 51, no less) to get Indiana cornerback D'Angelo Ponds.

Evaluators have noted that Ponds is very undersized, but he has some outstanding other factors: his tenacity, competitive toughness, and instincts. They make him a better prospect than his size would indicate.

Moton wrote, "If you look past Ponds' size limitations, he's a first-round talent. The Panthers could move him into the slot where he can cover underneath routes and channel his competitive energy into run support. He would start over Chau Smith-Wade, who allowed a 105.8 passer rating in coverage last season."

Therein lies the issue with the Panthers, and Moton does have an answer, but it's definitely a costly one. To get the 32nd pick, Carolina must part with:

2.51 in 2026
4.119 in 2026
Third-round pick in 2027

Ponds would make an impact on their defense, although he might not do so right away. Most of his college tape is at outside corner, so unless the Panthers trade Jackson or Horn gets hurt, he doesn't have a path to playing time unless he can learn the slot.

Indiana's D'Angelo Ponds (5) celebrates after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That's certainly possible, but the draft capital they're parting with is pretty damaging to a team that has more holes than one right now. Cornerback, even after addressing something with the 19th pick, isn't the most pressing.

The Panthers certainly could do this, but some big boards aren't sold on Ponds truly being a round-one prospect. The Panthers might be better off staying where they're at in the second round, keeping the picks, and drafting Treydan Stukes or AJ Haulcy.

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