5 Defensive Weapons the Panthers Should Target in the NFL Draft

I haven't written a sports article of any kind since I was covering men's basketball at Temple University. Despite that, after being in the press box throughout the entire football season here in Charlotte, I feel inspired to dust off my skills and use this blog to help connect some dots for sports fans here in the Carolinas. So forgive the occasional grammar mistakes and run-on sentences as we get back into the swing of things together. I appreciate your patience!

First off, what a delightful surprise of a season for the Panthers. With all the disappointment comes a lot of hope, and you could hear that throughout the stadium last Saturday, as the "keep pounding" chants rang throughout the ramps on the way out of Bank of America Stadium. That being said, as quickly as the Panthers exited the playoffs, they are equally quick into prep mode for next season, and the gateway to 2026 runs through Pittsburgh this year with the NFL Draft. For the first time in a long time, Panthers fans weren't praying for a higher draft slot. Lucky for them, this draft is STACKED in all the right places for Dan Morgan and Dave Canales as they try to bolster up various positions in the new year.

We'll go through both sides of the ball on this, but let's start in Dan Morgan's wheelhouse: the defense. As a former linebacker himself, Morgan must be salivating at some of the prospects he could get to improve the front seven. There's a lot up in the air with five linebackers being free agents (six if you include Isaiah Simmons), Trevin Wallace's injury bug, and the overall efficiency of the rest of the depth chart. According to PFF, the Panthers' linebackers ranked among some of the worst in coverage last season, but did show improvement in the pass rush. Fancy stats aside, if you watched this team last year, there were too many occasions where tackles were missed, short yard gains turned into first downs, and checkdowns turned into significant YAC. Stability up the middle and on the other side of Derrick Brown needs to be a priority.

Needless to say, there's room for improvement, and the draft should help with that. Even better, there's a few great bang for your buck options they could snag in later rounds.

There's the obvious names, like Ruben Bain and Arvell Reese, but there's a LOT of great options. Here's five that I think would fill the holes this defense needs.

Cashius Howell

(Edge, Texas A&M)

Drafting an edge out of A&M worked BEAUTIFULLY last season with Nic Scourton, and Howell could be the answer to strengthen the other side. They were lucky enough to have Scourton fall to them in the 2nd round last season, but I'm not sure they'll have the same luck with Howell. This kid's motor is INSANE: he demonstrated this in season against teams like LSU where he was wreaking havoc in the backfield in Baton Rouge, and showcased his versality in coverage vs. South Carolina and LaNorris Sellers. Since guys like Bain, Reese and Styles will likely be off the board by #19, Howell would be an incredible option.

Jacob Rodriguez

(Edge/Linebacker, Texas Tech)

In the case where the Panthers decide to go offense in the first round (and they certainly have a case to do so), what a get this would be in the 2nd or 3rd. 5th in Heisman voting, crazy speed at his position, and surprising strength while shedding blockers, despite being undersized by most standards (6'1", 235 lbs.). Being a former quarterback, Rodriguez has some of the best vision in college football, with a PFF coverage grade in the 90th percentile. He certainly won't lead your team in sacks and could work on his tackling technique, but that's nitpicky. This dude will be a STEAL by Day 2.

Akheem Mesidor

(Edge, Miami)

So you missed out on Ruben Bain... so did most teams. So why not get the other side of one of the scariest edge tandems in the NCAA? Mesidor was a machine this year, racking up 11 sacks and having one of the best pass rush win rates at 21.2 percent. He also helped his draft stock during Miami's upset of Ohio State in the first round of the playoff, where he sacked Julian Sayin twice. Long story short: dude knows how to get into the backfield. Looking at the tape, he's got great IQ and some pretty good footwork for a guy that clocks in at 280 lbs. It's obvious Bain's upside is significant (hence why he'll go higher), but Mesidor could be a huge get on Day 2. Downside? He'll be 25 when he starts his NFL career, is there a level of "what you see is what you get" with him?

C.J. Allen

(Linebacker, Georgia)

Sometimes, your team needs just a good old fashioned tackler that can stop the run, and that's exactly what C.J. Allen is. In his college career, he missed 16 tackles. TOTAL. THAT'S IT. He's not a flashy player by any means and is not elite in coverage, but this Panthers defense was bottom tier when it came to run defense this past season. Allen could certainly help improve on that, given he's still available.

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

(Safety, Toledo)

Who doesn't love a small conference darling? EMW hits defenders like they owe him lunch money. He's not a pick machine, but he plays well in coverage and in everything I've seen, is quick to read where he should be in zone coverage and where to help out.. Doesn't hurt that he can play corner as well. That said, when he goes in for a hit, he hits hard... and at times, misses hard. With Nick Scott likely on his way out, and with lack of depth beyond Ransom and Moehrig, EMW could be a great answer in the 3rd or 4th round.

Like I said, LOTS of great options defensively in this draft. Let's see what direction the Panthers take it in!