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Another day, another piece of information linking the Carolina Panthers to one particular 2025 NFL draft prospect.
To try to get a better picture of how next week's selection process will begin, ESPN insider and analyst Matt Miller enlisted the help of 10 anonymous scouts to piece together a new mini-mock draft. And that 10-pick projection, which was released on Thursday, doesn't contain much of a surprise at No. 8—where the Panthers are paired with University of Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker.
"I'm not going to go against the grain when this was the worst defense in football last year and a game-wrecker like this is on the board," the scout said, per Miller.
That grain was reported on yesterday, in a column from Joe Person of The Athletic. The longtime Panthers beat writer noted that those within league circles sense the organization will take Walker if he's available.
If so, they'll be hoping that the first-team All-American and Butkus Award winner can elevate their putrid defense. Carolina, in 2024, allowed a new NFL single-season record of 534 points, relinquished a league-worst 179.8 rushing yards per game and mustered up a league-low 16.2-percent pressure rate.
But before moving on to the ninth overall pick, the scout did not rule out the possibility of adding to the other side of the ball.
"As bad as the defense was, I still considered a wide receiver here and would probably pick one in Round 2," they added. "We still have to build around Bryce Young."
The most likely selection there, if the Panthers go down that route, would be Tetairoa McMillan—the 6-foot-4 consensus All-American wideout from the University of Arizona.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: 2025 NFL draft: League scout predicts Panthers' 1st-round pick
Continue reading...
To try to get a better picture of how next week's selection process will begin, ESPN insider and analyst Matt Miller enlisted the help of 10 anonymous scouts to piece together a new mini-mock draft. And that 10-pick projection, which was released on Thursday, doesn't contain much of a surprise at No. 8—where the Panthers are paired with University of Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker.
"I'm not going to go against the grain when this was the worst defense in football last year and a game-wrecker like this is on the board," the scout said, per Miller.
That grain was reported on yesterday, in a column from Joe Person of The Athletic. The longtime Panthers beat writer noted that those within league circles sense the organization will take Walker if he's available.
If so, they'll be hoping that the first-team All-American and Butkus Award winner can elevate their putrid defense. Carolina, in 2024, allowed a new NFL single-season record of 534 points, relinquished a league-worst 179.8 rushing yards per game and mustered up a league-low 16.2-percent pressure rate.
But before moving on to the ninth overall pick, the scout did not rule out the possibility of adding to the other side of the ball.
"As bad as the defense was, I still considered a wide receiver here and would probably pick one in Round 2," they added. "We still have to build around Bryce Young."
The most likely selection there, if the Panthers go down that route, would be Tetairoa McMillan—the 6-foot-4 consensus All-American wideout from the University of Arizona.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: 2025 NFL draft: League scout predicts Panthers' 1st-round pick
Continue reading...
