Panthers mock draft roundup 8.0: Tracking the latest 2026 projections

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales may have hinted at his team's draft approach two weeks ago—from the NFL's Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, Ariz. Here's what he told Joe Person of The Athletic . . .

We're changing things in our offense to fit Bryce [Young], and we're trying to bring players that will complement what Bryce does. It was something that Dan and I had talked about throughout really the last two years - Bryce's ability to perform in critical situations and in high-stakes situations. And feeling our responsibility to build a team that puts itself in those high-stakes moments where he can perform and come through. And he's shown that, whether it's my ability to be aggressive, going for it on fourth down because of him or having different moments come alive late in games for him to be able to take us down on drives, find wins, whatever that looked like. There's not a question of if, but how - how are we gonna build this forward knowing that Bryce is our quarterback?

The build could continue in the first round of this year's selection process, where Canales and the Panthers hold the 19th overall pick. And based off some of the recent mocks from around the web, Young may be in line for yet another new weapon this season.

Here, starting off with a few hog mollies, is our latest mock draft roundup for Carolina:

USA Today

Pick: Spencer Fano, OL, Utah

Author: Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

Take: With Rasheed Walker signed to a one-year deal on the cheap, Carolina has enough of a contingency plan at left tackle should Ikem Ekwonu need a good bit of time to make his way back from a torn patellar tendon. Fano, however, could further bolster Bryce Young's protection, either with a move to center or as an eventual replacement for right tackle Taylor Moton, who will turn 32 this summer and count $28.4 million against the cap in 2027.

ESPN

Pick: Monroe Freeling, OL, Georgia

Author: Peter Schrager

Take: Freeling's physical traits are going to get some attention this month. He's 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds with long 34¾-inch arms, and he has the quicks, running a 4.93-second 40. Freeling has played both left and right tackle, too. He could be a key long-term building block for Carolina in protecting for Bryce Young and opening holes for Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks.

NFL Media

Pick: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

Author: Gennaro Filice

Take: Sadiq’s raw college production doesn’t blow you away, but his freakishness does. At a rocked-up 241 pounds, he ran the fastest 40-yard dash by a tight end in modern combine history (4.39 seconds), nearly jumped out of Lucas Oil Stadium (43.5-inch vertical leap, 11-foot-1 broad jump) and pumped out 26 bench reps for good measure. It’d be up to Dave Canales and freshly minted play-caller Brad Idzik to maximize all that athleticism, but Bryce Young presumably wouldn’t mind having Sadiq join reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan and promising big slot Jalen Coker.

Pro Football Focus

Pick: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

Author: Bradley Locker

Take: It’s difficult to gauge exactly what the Panthers will do in the first round, particularly after they signed both Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd in free agency. The team’s tight end room could use more juice after slotting 31st in PFF receiving grade, and Sadiq (career 1.72 yards per route run) presents more explosiveness for Dave Canales as Bryce Young undergoes a key season.

CBS Sports

Pick: Kevin "KC" Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

Author: Mike Renner

Take: The Panthers go wide receiver in the first round for a third straight year. Concepcion brings juice and separation ability that no one else on the roster can match.

The Ringer

Pick: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

Author: Diante Lee

Take: Tyson would be the first receiver taken in my mock drafts if I knew he’d stay healthy, but his inability to get through college seasons without injury has given me serious pause about placing him in the first round at all.

His tape is hard to ignore, though. He has the route-running chops, the catch radius, and the versatility to be an NFL team’s best receiver. And in Carolina, he’d be able to work as an inside-out threat in the intermediate level, eating up soft holes in zone coverage. I’m crossing my fingers that Tyson can stay healthy in the pros, because he’s as enjoyable a player to watch as you’ll find in this class.

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers mock draft roundup 8.0: Tracking the latest 2026 projections