The shopping list has changed slightly.
Before Christmas I wrote an article on Carolina Panthers potential draft targets.
Back then, the Panthers had a 3-11 record with three games to go and were looking at a top five draft pick.
But with wins in Week 16 and 18, the Panthers are now sat with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Those targets I wrote about were Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, Tetairoa McMillan and Mason Graham.
Carter has emerged as the potential number one overall pick – so he is out. Hunter has a great chance of going in the top five and Graham is unlikely to fall to eight.
That leaves McMillan as the only target still to be in play as the best true receiver in the draft. However, head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan spoke this week ahead of the combine about their offseason targets.
As expected, the focus is on defense. So along with Graham and McMillan, there are a few new targets on the list.
Help on the Edge
There are a number of edge rushers expected to go in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and there are three which could be in consideration at pick number eight.
James Pearce Jr. is the first. An edge rusher from North Carolina, Pearce played his high school football in the city of Charlotte. The Tennessee defender has length and great speed. He has been seen as the perfect replacement for Brian Burns.
Mike Green is a beast. An explosive edge rusher from Marshall, he plays with violence and physicality and could be an offensive tackles worst nightmare with his combination of speed and power.
And finally, Mykel Williams, edge rusher from Georgia. He is long like Pearce and powerful like Green. Seen and a high upside prospect with a chance of being picked in the top 10.
Williams may be slightly raw but being a part of Kirby Smart’s defense that recently have transcended in the NFL is something the Panthers cannot look past.
Improve the Secondary
Will Johnson may be the least likely of all the players listed to still be on the board at pick number eight.
The Michigan standout is said to be on the Panthers’ radar to pair alongside Jaycee Horn at cornerback.
Johnson is someone with a high grade and has been given glittering comparisons to the likes of Patrick Surtain II and Sauce Gardner.
At the combine Canales was asked to rank his top three needs. After defensive front, Canales second answer was safety.
This indicates a player like Malaki Starks is certainly in play. Starks is by far the best safety prospect in this draft class and could easily be a top 10 pick.
Any Georgia defensive player would be welcomed in Carolina.
Other Options?
Among the Panthers online fanbase and many draft experts and analysts’, Jalon Walker is the name at the forefront.
Another versatile prospect from Georgia, Walker is viewed as a hybrid middle and outside linebacker. Both positions are high needs for the Panthers, so wherever he ends up playing he is sure to make an impact.
The preference, I imagine, would be to play him at the outside linebacker spot. As Walker was born in South Carolina and went to high school in North Carolina, he should feel right at home.
The one alternative on the offensive side of the ball is tight end Tyler Warren, who is regarded as one of the top overall players in this class.
The question is, will a team consider drafting a tight end in the top 10? With the Panthers defensive needs, I find it unlikely, but Canales had kind words to say about the Penn State stud at the combine.
“I think he’s an incredible player,” said Canales. “Here’s a guy that can play close to the interior and play physical, because of his sheer size.
“He does create some mismatches in the pass game. You can hand him the ball. If you look at some of the teams that are using tight ends for a QB sneak, that would be a weapon for somebody in a short-yardage situation to utilise him.
“So, he’s a very interesting prospect.”
What do you think? With the trenches and the edges of the defense clearly being the primary need, who should be the Carolina Panthers pick with the eighth overall pick of the 2025 Draft?
