Substantial Concern Pops Up For Potential Panthers First Round Pick

The NFL Scouting Combine is in full swing, and the first position group to take the field was the defensive linemen and linebackers on Thursday. This draft is considered one of the best and deepest classes when it comes to edge rushers and linebackers.

There were two edge rushers that made headlines not for how well or badly they tested, but for their arm length and how it could be a problem, and one of those players could be a concern that the Carolina Panthers need to be cautious of.

Cashius Howell from Texas A&M has been a name that’s been linked to the Panthers very often in mock drafts and general discussion over the Panthers top needs. The problem is that he and one other edge rusher in this draft class have the shortest arms for a first-round edge rusher since 1999.

At 30 7/8" and 30 1/4" arm length, Rueben Bain and Cashius Howell would have the shortest arms for an EDGE rusher drafted in the first round since at least 1999.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) February 26, 2026

Shorter arms always create a disadvantage for defenders, making it harder to gain leverage on offensive linemen and pressure the opposing QB.

For the Carolina Panthers, there are two ways to approach this type of issue: either pass on Howell because the EDGE talent in this draft class is deep, or just let the film do the talking. For Cashius Howell, the film makes a strong case that he can be just fine in the NFL.

Texas A&M Edge Rusher Cashius Howell 6’2 248

In his last two seasons at A&M he had 15 sacks, 68 pressures and 40 stops

Great pass rush plan pairing inside counters with ankle flexion and bend around the arc. Shows flashes of knockback pop as a power rusher pic.twitter.com/o8cC8yK3ld
— Yuri (@Yuri_Ravens) February 20, 2026

In his final year at Texas A&M, Howell was a game wrecker, recording 20 solo tackles and 11.5 sacks on the season. Howell showed a great bend around the edge and, even with the shorter reach, was consistently able to bring pressure to opposing QBs, affecting plays even when he's not the one recording the tackle or sack.

The Panthers also have recent history with Texas A&M edge rushers, drafting Nic Scourton just last season, so it could be an easy choice for GM Dan Morgan to just go back to the well and draft another pass rusher out of College Station.

Why Its Okay to Pass on Cashius Howell

Zion Young would be a great fit for the Panthers — Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Missouri defensive lineman Zion Young (DL63) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

If the shortest arms since 1999 are that big of a concern for the Panthers, theres a silver lining, this class is loaded with EDGE talent, and theres a ton of guys who could be as good or even better than Howell.

If the Panthers go elsewhere for EDGE, they can look to Keldric Faulk (Auburn), Zion Young (Missouri), Akheem Mesidor (Miami), or R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma).

Zion Young Scouting Report

Measurables:
•Height: 6’5”
•Weight: 262 lbs
•Position: Edge/Defensive End (EDGE)
•40-Yard Dash: 4.76 sec range (combine/pro day)
•Arms: 33 4/8″
•Hands: 9 3/8″

Zion Young is a long, powerful edge defender with the tools to be a disruptive… pic.twitter.com/svdtFfiuXs
— Korey 🐅 (@BengalsKorey) February 16, 2026

It's a draft where it feels like there's no wrong answer at edge rusher, and while there are some like Rueben Bain Jr who are ranked ahead of the rest, the rest of this edge class all have different intangibles to succeed in the NFL.