
The Carolina Panthers are focusing on two WR prospects, KC Concepcion and Omar Cooper Jr., for their 19th pick in the NFL Draft if their top choices are unavailable. Both players fit the team's profile and are expected to be available at that position.
Speculation on who the Carolina Panthers front office is targeting in Round 1 has narrowed to a handful of names. The primary prospects they love seem to be a pair of Oregon Ducksâsafety Dillon Thieneman and tight end Kenyon Sadiq.
However, if neither one of them are still on the board when Carolina is on the clock at No. 19, The Athletic's Joe Person sees them settling for one of two wide receiver prospectsâTexas A&M's KC Concepcion or Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr.
Person wrote the following in a new post from Wednesday:
That would seem to leave Concepcion and Cooper as the players who fit the Panthersâ profile and also should be available at 19. Concepcion was my choice in the beat writersâ mock, with his experience as a ball carrier and return specialist giving him the edge over Cooper, who caught 13 touchdown passes during the Hoosiersâ national championship season...
Concepcion's overall college production was superior, but Cooper showed a higher ceiling in 2025 as a receiverâputting up 69 catches, 937 yards and 13 touchdowns. Carolina really can't go wrong with either one, though.
For a wild card, Person mentions monster Georgia offensive lineman Monroe Freeling, who could eventually replace either right tackle Taylor Moton or left tackle Ickey Ekwonu beyond the 2026 campaign.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL Draft: KC Concepcion, Omar Cooper Jr. deemed 'fits' for Panthers
The top wide receiver prospects for the Panthers at Pick 19 are KC Concepcion from Texas A&M and Omar Cooper Jr. from Indiana.
KC Concepcion is preferred due to his experience as a ball carrier and return specialist, which gives him an edge over Omar Cooper Jr.
The Panthers' primary targets in the first round are safety Dillon Thieneman and tight end Kenyon Sadiq, but they may settle for a wide receiver if those players are unavailable.


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