How Sam Hecht Brings a Perfect Balance to Panthers' Offensive Line

Sam Hecht is our favorite pick by the Carolina Panthers, and for good reason. Getting a potential starting center in the fifth round, one considered a top-100 prospect by virtually everyone, is incredible value.

That alone makes this an excellent pick, but there's more to it. Hecht is actually the ideal center for the Panthers, even better than Cade Mays was. Mays was a nice find, and he did an adequate job, but things might be a whole lot better with Hecht in tow this season.

Why Sam Hecht is the perfect, balanced improvement upon Cade Mays at center

Kansas State offensive lineman Sam Hecht (OL27) during the NFL Scouting Combine | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

New Panther rookie Sam Hecht was pretty good in the run game and as a pass-blocker in college, which is crucial for the Panthers. They would love not to have to sacrifice one for the other, which was the case with Cade Mays last season.

Mays was pretty solid as a pass-blocker, but he struggled in the running game. His PFF run-block grade in 2025 was below 60. His pass-block grade, though, was 69.4. That's not amazing, but it ranked 13th among centers and is obviously a big step up from his run grade.

Hecht delivered a strong 2025 campaign, earning an 80.3 PFF overall grade that ranked fourth among centers. He brings a balanced profile, ranking 10th in PFF run-blocking grade (77.7) while holding up adequately in pass protection," PFF's staff wrote. "Across 759 snaps, he allowed just seven pressures, with zero sacks and zero quarterback hits, and committed no penalties."

Hecht was very good overall, obviously. But the splits are encouraging as well. He was one of the best run-blockers in the sport, and he didn't allow a single sack in pass protection. It is rare to find someone who can do both well.

Carolina Panthers center Cade Mays (64) on the sidelines in the fourth quarter | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Similarly, Luke Fortner was pretty good at both. He earned a 72.5 grade in pass blocking, which was seventh among all centers. A 65.3 run-block grade was good enough for 19th among all centers. He might not be quite as balanced as Hecht, but he's not as varied as Mays. The grades paint a balanced picture, which is always good on the offensive line.

Plus, Hecht projects to be the starter and potentially an improvement over Fortner, so the Panthers will benefit from having a more balanced center this year with Hecht. The Panthers will now have a little more versatility in their run game, which is their bread and butter, without sacrificing pass protection.

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