The One Word That Perfectly Describes Carolina Panthers’ 2026 Draft Haul

The Panthers chose seven players in last week’s NFL draft. And there’s yet another indication that general manager Dan Morgan and the team did an excellent job.

Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions safety Zakee Wheatley (6) against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It’s been less than a week since the conclusion of the 2026 NFL draft, and the reviews and grades for each team’s work is coming in just as fast as the mocks went out.

Nailing the draft has a lot to do with filling needs, as well as adding depth to a roster. It’s also about getting a real bang for your buck, metaphorically. In other words, grabbing a player that may have been projected as a very talented prospect and getting him later in the draft than those in the know may have anticipated.

More positives regarding the Panthers’ 2026 draft

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Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report utilized B/R’s Scouting Department’s final draft board to illustrate how the general manager of the reigning NFC South champions and his staff did an excellent job when it was all said and done. He used the word “valuable” to sum up the team’s work.

“The Carolina Panthers reached a bit for first-round offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, but they got considerable value on Days 2 and 3 of the draft.”

The heralded blocker was the 19th overall pick last Thursday evening in Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, he was ranked 45th by B/R. Obviously, the Panthers have a big issue to solve on their offensive front with left tackle Ikem Ekwonu going down in the playoffs in January with a ruptured patellar tendon. The team added Rasheed Walker this offseason via a one-year contract, but they are obviously hoping Freeling is a long-term solution.

Panthers made the most of their Day 2 and Day 3 picks

Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (17) yells in celebration after scoring a touchdown during a NCAA football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on September 13, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Friday and Saturday is where Dan Morgan and company really excelled. Texas Tech interior defender Lee Hunter was a second-round pick and the 49th overall selection, but he was Bleacher Report’s No. 39 player. Third-round wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (Tennessee) was selected 83rd overall (No. 42 by B/R).

However, it was the fifth round where Morgan’s work stood out. He selected Kansas State center Sam Hecht and Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley, respectively. The former was No. 89 and the latter was 42nd by the B/R scouting department. Hecht went off the board with the 144th pick and Wheatley was the 151st overall selection.

“It’s all on paper, of course,” added Knox, “but the reigning NFC South champs appear to be adding a solid group of rookies to their steadily improving roster.”

Carolina’s 2026 draft was an exercise in bargain shopping

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When it was all said and done, five of the Panthers’ seven selections were ranked well within the B/R scouting department’s Top 100. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that four of those selections—Hunter (39), Wheatley (41), Brazzell (42), and Freeling (45), were ranked in the Top 50. Those are encouraging numbers, albeit on paper via Knox, but it’s just one indication that Morgan and the team did their due diligence over the past months.

All told, the word that really comes to mind when it comes to the Panthers’ 2026 NFL draft is “bargains.”