After a rocky start to the 2025 season, the Carolina Panthers rallied to reach the playoffs behind record-setting production from Rico Dowdle and improved consistency from quarterback Bryce  Young. 

Carolina’s season ended with a close Wild Card loss to the Rams, but the run set the stage for a  2026 push. GM Dan Morgan attacked free agency, adding high-end defensive talent with linebacker Devin Lloyd and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. 

Panthers Draft Picks:

• Round 1: No. 19
• Round 2: No. 51
• Round 3: No. 83
• Round 4: No. 119
• Round 5: No. 158 (from Vikings)
• Round 5: No. 159
• Round 6: No. 200

Morgan now turns to the draft with several picks available to use. While he has emphasized“flexibility”in the draft, there are still several positions that the Panthers need to fill.

Panthers Positions of Need:

• S
• LB
• TE
• C

Panthers Key Draft Targets:

Dillon Thieneman – Safety – Oregon 

In a safety-rich class, Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman could fill Carolina’s biggest hole: a fast,  physical defender with strong tackling and explosiveness. If he’s available at No. 19, he should be a top option, though some projections have him going one pick earlier to Minnesota. 

If the Panthers don’t get Thieneman, there is a boatload of options at safety that they can still find great success with. However, Thieneman should be priority number one.

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Jacob Rodriguez – LB – Texas Tech

Even after reshaping the linebacker room in free agency, Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez remains a strong Day 2 target for the Panthers to go and get. He’s already met twice with Panthers staff and had great things to say about the organization. Rodriguez could certainly be in play for the  Panthers to snatch in the second round.

Max Klare – TE – Ohio State 

Ohio State tight end Max Klare stands out if Carolina waits until later in the draft to fill their need at tight end. At 6-foot-5, he offers a big target who can stretch the field and line up in multiple spots across the line. Drafting Klare would certainly be a risk due to his size, but one that the Panthers could be inclined to take.

Jake Slaughter – C – Florida 

With Cade Mays gone, center is a clear priority for the Panthers. Florida’s Jake Slaughter, an experienced, five-year starter and Second-Team All-American, could challenge for snaps immediately, while also offering a long-term answer beyond the team’s one-year Luke Fortner addition. 

For the Panthers, it will be a matter of how long they can wait to snatch up Slaughter, with several teams sure to be eyeing him as a potential successor to their aging centers.

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