3 first round prospects that would be an ideal fit for the Carolina Panthers
The 2025 NFL Draft is fast approaching and the Carolina Panthers will be on the clock before you know it. While it first looked like they were destined for another top 3 selection in the draft, late season renaissance now has the team sitting with the 8th overall pick and all of it’s possibilities.
While the Panthers did have a solid free agency by filling in holes on the roster and retaining much of their own talent, the trio of Dan Morgan, Dave Canales and Brandt Tilis have all stated that the success of this team will depend on their ability to draft and develop.
With the hundreds of prospects that have declared and are eligible to be drafted in April, it’s hard to distinguish which players fit the Panthers scheme, culture, thresholds and needs. With so many mock drafts repeating the same one or two prospects as the pick for the Panthers at 8th overall (See: Jalon Walker), let’s take a look at some of the less publicized prospects that would fit the Panthers like a glove.
(Note: consensus ranks pulled from the Consensus Big Board on NFL Mock Draft Database)
Mykel Williams | Edge | Georgia | 6’5 260 lbs |Consensus Rank: 15
Williams has prototypical size and length for an edge, including around 34.5 inch arms and 10.25 inch hands. He has significant athletic upside and is also one of the youngest players in the draft class at just 20 years old. Despite claiming to only be 60% healthy in 2025, Williams continued to play through the pain and put on an elite showing versus the run and found moderate success as a pass rusher.
Why he fits: Williams has almost identical measurables to Jadeveon Clowney and can immediately contribute to solving the Panthers inability to stop the run. Sky is the limit if Williams can get healthy and develop his pass rush bag under outside linebackers coach AC Carter (who helped coach last year’s Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse).
Tetairoa McMillan | Wide Receiver | Arizona | 6’4 219 lbs | Consensus Rank: 9
McMillan put his towering frame to good use in college, becoming one of the most productive receivers in the game. McMillan lead the FBS in receiving yards, first downs and catches of 20+ yards over the course of the last two years. McMillan’s not only has elite ball skills, but also is surprisingly fluid athlete for his size and productive after the catch – his 29 missed tackles forced was 3rd best in the FBS in 2024.
Why he fits: McMillan would be a day one starter for the Panthers as the X receiver in the Canales offense, likely similar to how Mike Evans was used in 2023. When Canales said at the combine that he wanted “touchdown makers”, no receiver in the draft holds more potential in that role than McMillan.
Jihaad Campbell | Linebacker | Alabama | 6’3 235 lbs | Consensus Rank: 18
Campbell has been making a push to be considered one of the best defensive players in this class since putting on a show at the combine. Campbell is a physical force who also shows sideline-to-sideline range and an underrated knack for rushing the passer (8 sacks on a 12.6% pass rush win rate). Lacking top-tier instincts, he makes up for it with elite athleticism and will only be 21 his entire rookie season.
Why he fits: Campbell’s versatility at the position would help the Panthers on all 3 downs on defense and give defensive coordinator Evero a weapon on the second level. The Panthers linebacking corps is suspect, so bringing in a potential difference maker to the room to make plays could be invaluable to resolving the many issues the 2024 iteration of the Panthers suffered from.