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The start of the 2026 NFL Draft is now one week away. Yet, the possibilities for the Carolina Panthers' first-round pick have hardly been narrowed down.
On Tuesday, president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan stuck to the script—stating that the Panthers will go with the best player available when that 19th overall pick hits the clock. In fact, he told reporters that "all positions are on the table."
So, what does that mean to the experts and mock drafters?
Here is our latest roundup of projections for Carolina's first-rounder . . .
Pick: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
Author: Mel Kiper Jr.
Take: Carolina might decide to use this pick to help quarterback Bryce Young on offense. The 2023 No. 1 draft pick took a step forward last season, but the offense was still 25th in ESPN's Football Power Index. Even so, getting an impact safety to pair with Tre'von Moehrig behind the Panthers' really solid cornerback duo could be the team's next savvy move on defense after signing edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. And drafting McNeil-Warren would actually help Young -- by getting him the ball more often. McNeil-Warren had five interceptions and an incredible 10 forced fumbles over four seasons in college.
Pick: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Author: Todd McShay
Take: Only the Jets and Buccaneers got fewer receiving yards from their tight ends than Carolina last season (638), so there’s a clear need for a difference-maker at the position who can help Bryce Young attack the seams and the middle of the field. Sadiq may not grade out quite as high as Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland did a year ago, but if you’re comparing the three purely from an athletic standpoint, he’s the most explosive.
That athleticism shows up on tape and was on full display at the combine, where he ran a 4.39-second 40 (an all-time record for tight ends) and posted a 43-inch vertical and 11-foot-1 broad jump—both in the 97th percentile among TEs over the past three years.
Pick: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
Author: Dane Brugler
Take: As Carolina continues to build its defense, Thieneman has the versatility that will speak to general manager Dan Morgan and the Panthers coaches. He would upgrade both the coverage and run defense from day one.
Pick: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Author: Mike Band
Take: Carolina can justify going in a few different directions here, especially along the offensive line, but Sadiq feels like the most optimal non-OT path to keep building around Bryce Young. Dave Canales has already identified tight end as a potential impact spot at No. 19, and the Panthers use enough multi-TE looks to make the value work. With 4.39 speed at 241 pounds, Sadiq gives Young another mismatch piece who can stretch the seams and grow into a featured part of the offense.
Pick: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Author: Pete Prisco
Take: A playmaking tight end for Bryce Young would be a nice addition to the offense. They could also look at a receiver in this spot. Helping the offense is a must.
Pick: Monroe Freeling, OL, Georgia
Author: Evan Silva
Take: LT Ikem Ekwonu tore his patellar tendon in Carolina’s playoff loss to the Rams. He likely won’t play a snap in 2026 and isn’t under contract for 2027. At 6-foot-8, 315, with nearly 35-inch arms, Freeling is built like an NFL blindside tackle and registered a 99th-percentile Relative Athletic Score.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers mock draft roundup 9.0: Tracking the latest 2026 projections
Continue reading...
On Tuesday, president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan stuck to the script—stating that the Panthers will go with the best player available when that 19th overall pick hits the clock. In fact, he told reporters that "all positions are on the table."
So, what does that mean to the experts and mock drafters?
Here is our latest roundup of projections for Carolina's first-rounder . . .
ESPN
Pick: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
Author: Mel Kiper Jr.
Take: Carolina might decide to use this pick to help quarterback Bryce Young on offense. The 2023 No. 1 draft pick took a step forward last season, but the offense was still 25th in ESPN's Football Power Index. Even so, getting an impact safety to pair with Tre'von Moehrig behind the Panthers' really solid cornerback duo could be the team's next savvy move on defense after signing edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. And drafting McNeil-Warren would actually help Young -- by getting him the ball more often. McNeil-Warren had five interceptions and an incredible 10 forced fumbles over four seasons in college.
The Ringer
Pick: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Author: Todd McShay
Take: Only the Jets and Buccaneers got fewer receiving yards from their tight ends than Carolina last season (638), so there’s a clear need for a difference-maker at the position who can help Bryce Young attack the seams and the middle of the field. Sadiq may not grade out quite as high as Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland did a year ago, but if you’re comparing the three purely from an athletic standpoint, he’s the most explosive.
That athleticism shows up on tape and was on full display at the combine, where he ran a 4.39-second 40 (an all-time record for tight ends) and posted a 43-inch vertical and 11-foot-1 broad jump—both in the 97th percentile among TEs over the past three years.
The Athletic
Pick: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
Author: Dane Brugler
Take: As Carolina continues to build its defense, Thieneman has the versatility that will speak to general manager Dan Morgan and the Panthers coaches. He would upgrade both the coverage and run defense from day one.
NFL Media
Pick: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Author: Mike Band
Take: Carolina can justify going in a few different directions here, especially along the offensive line, but Sadiq feels like the most optimal non-OT path to keep building around Bryce Young. Dave Canales has already identified tight end as a potential impact spot at No. 19, and the Panthers use enough multi-TE looks to make the value work. With 4.39 speed at 241 pounds, Sadiq gives Young another mismatch piece who can stretch the seams and grow into a featured part of the offense.
CBS Sports
Pick: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Author: Pete Prisco
Take: A playmaking tight end for Bryce Young would be a nice addition to the offense. They could also look at a receiver in this spot. Helping the offense is a must.
Establish The Run
Pick: Monroe Freeling, OL, Georgia
Author: Evan Silva
Take: LT Ikem Ekwonu tore his patellar tendon in Carolina’s playoff loss to the Rams. He likely won’t play a snap in 2026 and isn’t under contract for 2027. At 6-foot-8, 315, with nearly 35-inch arms, Freeling is built like an NFL blindside tackle and registered a 99th-percentile Relative Athletic Score.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers mock draft roundup 9.0: Tracking the latest 2026 projections
Continue reading...
