The Carolina Panthers have used up most of their allotted prospect visits in advance of the 2025 NFL Draft.
A couple weeks go, we looked at the early trends with the players that the Carolina Panthers had been visiting with in preparation for the 2025 NFL Draft. Since then, the Panthers have used most of the 30 pre-draft prospect visits that every team is allotted. Here are all the players the Panthers have met with in that capacity so far:
- Walter Nolen DT Ole Miss
- Shemar Stewart EDGE Texas A&M
- Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona
- Josaiah Stewart EDGE Michigan
- Aireontae Ersery OT Minnesota
- Carson Schwesinger LB UCLA
- Deone Walker DT Kentucky
- Jaylin Noel WR Iowa State
- Femi Oladejo EDGE UCLA
- Jonas Sanker S Virginia
- Ollie Gordon II RB Oklahoma State
- Quincy Riley CB Louisville
- Ashton Gillotte EDGE Louisville
- Terrence Feguson TE Oregon
- RJ Harvey RB UCF
- Shemar James LB Florida
- Jarquez Hunter RB Auburn
- Cam Jackson DT Florida
- Warren Brinson DT Georgia
- Devonte Gordon OT Wake Forest
I talked about this a bit in the first piece—I’m surprised at how much effort the Panthers seem to be putting into looking at Day 3 running backs. Chuba Hubbard is locked down for a few years, they just used a high pick on Jonathon Brooks, and they have Rico Dowdle to split time with Hubbard this season. It just doesn’t seem like a position worth worrying about right now given how quickly running backs can come and go.
The visits with top prospects are thinner than many people might expect. Walter Nolen apparently has some off field concerns, so it’s unsurprising that he’s on the list as the team vets his personality. McMillan and Stewart fit positions of need, and I’m sure the Panthers have some questions for Stewart as to why he never produced in college despite seeming like he should have.
The NFL also allows teams to have “local visits” with players who are either from or went to college in the area of the NFL team. These visits are the same as top 30 visits but they don’t count as top 30 visits because they live nearby or something. Here are the prospects that meet that criteria:
- Jalon Walker LB Georgia
- Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina
- Jaylin Lane WR Virginia Tech
- Kyle Kennard EDGE South Carolina
- Jordan Burch EDGE Oregon
Jalon Walker stands out due to how much reported interest there’s been with Walker even mentioning on Up and Adams that the Panthers have shown a ton of love in the pre-draft process. He’s pretty good, and he’s from just up the road in Salisbury. Carolina has also met with first round safety prospect Nick Emmanwori, who would definitely be in play if the Panthers make a trade to move back to the middle or later parts of the first round.
The visits at a whole paint a picture of a team that’s leaving no stone unturned when it comes to fixing a defense that allowed the most points in NFL history last season. Most of the moves made in free agency were about fixing that side of the ball, and based on who the team has been visiting with, it looks like they’re going to treat the draft the same way.