When Panthers GM Dan Morgan spoke last week ahead of the NFL Draft, and you got the feeling, he’s more than willing to trade the No. 8 overall pick.
Maybe a team really loves a guy. We’ll be waiting if somebody wants to come up,” Morgan told the Panthers beat reporters.
But while Carolina might be willing to move off the No. 8 spot, they’ll almost certainly make a selection during Thursday night’s first round.
After trading up to join last year’s first round, and select receiver Xavier Legette, the Panthers will very likely make a pick on night one for the fourteenth-straight year.
With several possible scenarios, here are some likely first-round picks for the Panthers on Thursday night.
Sometimes the right choice is the most obvious choice. That could be the case at No. 8 if either of these two players are available.
The 6-foot-3, 296-pound interior defensive lineman would make for a dream duo up front next to Panthers Pro Bowler Derrick Brown.
It would also go a long way towards fixing the Panthers rough run defense in 2024, although free-agent addition Bobby Brown will certainly help with that.
Graham was first-team Associated Press All-American and First-team All-Big Ten.
Walker has been the player most connected to Carolina the last few weeks.
He’s considered a hybrid, who can play all three linebacker positions, but Morgan told the media last week the Panthers would put him at outside linebacker.
The Salisbury, NC native and son of former Catawba College coach, Curtis Walker, obviously impressed the Panthers with his characters, and impressed fans with his knowledge of all-time franchise linebackers Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly.
Most importantly, he could bring an immediate impact to a defense that forced just 17 turnovers in 2024.
Walker has a nose foro the big play, leading the Bulldogs with 10.5 tackles for loss, and was tied for the team lead with 6.5 sacks.
He won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker.
At one point during his media session, Morgan mentioned the Panthers being “stuck” at eight, but then clarified they would pick a player they like there. But the Panthers sure seem comfortable with the idea of trading back, still selecting a high-impact defensive player, and adding some picks. As it stands, they pick No. 8, and then have a long wait to No. 57. Here are some players they could find if a team wants to trade up.