The Carolina Panthers are projected to trade up to the 13th overall pick in the upcoming draft to select Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, according to a new mock draft by Bryant McFadden.
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Could the Carolina Panthers have at least more one bold move left to make this offseason?
Well, two-time Super Bowl champion Bryant McFadden believes they might—as evidenced in his new mock draft for CBS Sports. The former cornerback projects a trade up to the 13th overall spot for the Panthers, who go on to nab Ohio State University star safety Caleb Downs.
McFadden writes:
This is a home run. Downs, Lloyd and [Jaelan] Phillips give Carolina a top-10 defensive core instantly, making this unit look beyond scary.
As McFadden notes, the Panthers have souped up their defense with the free-agent signings of Phillips and Lloyd. Adding in Downs, who is viewed as one of the very few blue-chip prospects in the 2026 class, may serve as the massive cherry on top.
To do so, the Panthers would have engage in a bit of business with the Los Angeles Rams at that 13th spot. According to the Rich Hill model, securing the pick could cost Carolina their first-rounder (19th overall) and their third-rounder (83rd overall).
That sounds like an awfully good deal for Downs—a two-time unanimous All-American, a national champion and the latest recipient of the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award, the Jim Thorpe Award and the Lott Trophy.
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The Panthers aim to strengthen their defense, and selecting Caleb Downs is seen as a way to enhance their defensive core significantly.
Caleb Downs plays safety and played college football at Ohio State University.
The trade up for the Panthers was projected by two-time Super Bowl champion Bryant McFadden in his mock draft for CBS Sports.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Panthers trade up for star S Caleb Downs in new mock