Draft Details
From Thursday night through Saturday, the Carolina Panthers' front office did exactly what it needed to do. They strengthened the back end of the roster, added depth for 2026, and laid the foundation for a core that should be competing at a high level in 2027 and beyond.
Chris Brazzell was a disappointing pick. A one-dimensional vertical threat with limited contributions beyond the deep ball, his selection felt out of step with the otherwise thoughtful approach the organization displayed throughout the weekend. Every other pick, however, looks like a hit and that's a strong draft by any measure.
The Panthers have taken heat from around the league, and the grades have been mixed. The most common criticism is that there is no immediate starter in this class. That critique misses the point entirely. Carolina didn't have major holes on the roster. They weren't picking out of desperation. The freedom to take players who supplement the roster rather than fill emergencies is itself a sign of organizational health and the front office used that freedom wisely.
Drafting for the future, without being forced to throw a rookie into a starting role before he's ready, is the mark of a team that has built something in a good way. Critics who grade on a "who starts in Week 1" miss the point and appear to be clinging to something the old Panthers did.
That said, one legitimate concern does emerge when studying the roster heading into the summer: guard depth. The interior offensive line relies heavily on two veteran guards who are good players but aging ones. The window in which both are performing at a high level is finite, and there is no obvious developmental option waiting behind them.
It's worth noting that a guard felt like a natural fit in the third round, and the decision to take the receiver instead is a question worth putting to the front office. Whether they have a plan in place, a free agency target next offseason or a developmental player already on the roster they believe in, remains to be seen.
Training camp will be telling. The depth chart battle at guard will reveal a great deal about how confident the organization truly is in what they have behind their starters. It is the one soft spot in an otherwise intelligent and forward thinking draft and it's worth watching closely as the summer unfolds.