2026 NFL Draft Grade: Carolina Panthers -- B

There's a certain rhythm to a good draft class. You want a team to identify its weaknesses, attack them with conviction, and come away feeling like the roster is measurably better on Monday morning than it was on Thursday night. By that measure, GM Dan Morgan and the Carolina Panthers put together a fascinating, if uneven, 2026 haul -- one that leans heavily on value shopping in the middle rounds.

Coming into the draft, the Panthers' most pressing needs were clear. Offensive tackle sat atop the high-need list, with safety right there alongside it. The interior offensive line was also a critical area of concern after losing both starting guards in free agency. Cornerback, despite being labeled a low priority in the pre-draft need assessment, was a real problem spot opposite Jaycee Horn. Wide receiver and tight end sat in the medium tier, but the group lacked a true alpha. The Panthers had seven picks to work with, and they used every single one of them to address these gaps -- some brilliantly, one disastrously.

Pick 19 (Round 1) -- Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia Grade: B (71.0)

The Panthers needed a tackle, and they got one. Monroe Freeling spent his college career at Georgia as a versatile, powerful blocker who can play either tackle spot. Most draft boards had him graded as a late-first or early-second-round talent, so reaching up to grab him at No. 19 represents a modest stretch. The "B" grade here reflects that the team identified a clear hole -- Ikem Ekwonu has been inconsistent and Taylor Moton is on the wrong side of 30 -- and filled it with a player who has starter-level tools. Freeling's ability to slide inside to guard in a pinch only adds to his value in a scheme that prizes versatility. This is a solid, unspectacular start. The Panthers got their man at a position of need, even if they had to pay a slight premium to do it.

Pick 49 (Round 2) -- Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech Acquired via MIN Grade: A (85.0)

This is the pick that sets the tone for the entire class. Lee Hunter was widely viewed as a top-40 prospect -- some evaluators had him as a top-30 player -- and the Panthers landed him at No. 49 after trading down. That is textbook value. Hunter is an explosive, penetrating defensive tackle who immediately becomes the most disruptive interior pass rusher opposite Derrick Brown. The Panthers had an aging or weak spot at the three-technique, and Hunter fills it with a skill set that defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero will love. He can win with quickness or power, and he has the motor to chase plays from sideline to sideline. This is the kind of pick that turns a good draft into a great one. The grade speaks for itself: an A.

Pick 83 (Round 3) -- Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee Grade: B (73.0)

The Panthers went back to the well at wide receiver, and they got good value here. Chris Brazzell II was ranked almost exactly where he was picked by most draft analysts, making this a fair-value selection at a position group that needed an injection of youth. The Panthers' receiver room features Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker, but Brazzell brings a distinct skill set as a big-bodied, contested-catch specialist who can work the intermediate areas. He is not a burner, but he has strong hands and a knack for boxing out defenders. In Dave Canales' play-action offense, that profile fits nicely as a chain-mover and red-zone weapon. A solid, clean pick at a position where the Panthers had medium need.

Pick 129 (Round 4) -- Will Lee III, CB, Texas A&M Acquired via LAR via CHI Grade: F (28.0)

This is the fly in the ointment. Will Lee III is a talented cornerback, but reaching for him at No. 129 -- a full 34 spots before most boards had him ranked -- at a position considered a strength on the pre-draft roster is a head-scratcher. The Panthers already had Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, and a host of young corners on the roster, including 2025 pick Chau Smith-Wade. The need was simply not there. Combine that with the reach, and the grade plummets. Lee is a physical press corner with good length, but he was projected as a fifth-round or early-sixth-round player by most evaluators. The Panthers passed on higher-ranked players at more pressing positions -- including interior offensive linemen and safeties who went later in the round -- to make this pick. It is the kind of swing that can work out if Lee develops, but the process is hard to defend.

Pick 144 (Round 5) -- Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State Acquired via TEN via LAR, TEN and CHI Grade: A (85.0)

Now we are back in value territory. Sam Hecht was viewed as a top-60 prospect by most draft analysts, and the Panthers plucked him at No. 144. That is a massive steal -- nearly 90 spots of pure surplus value. Hecht is a rock-solid interior blocker with starting experience at both center and guard. Given the Panthers' desperate need for help on the interior offensive line, this pick feels almost too good to be true. Hecht can step in and compete for a starting job at either guard spot or serve as the long-term answer at center if the team chooses to move on from Luke Fortner. This is the kind of day-three find that builds championship depth.

Pick 151 (Round 5) -- Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State Acquired via MIA Grade: A- (83.0)

Safety was a high-priority need for the Panthers, and they addressed it with a player who fits Evero's multiple-safety scheme like a glove. Zakee Wheatley is a versatile defensive back who can play deep, roll down into the box, or cover the slot. Most boards had him ranked around pick 156, so the Panthers got fair -- even slightly positive -- value at No. 151. More importantly, they filled a clear hole. The safety room beyond Tre'von Moehrig was thin, with Lathan Ransom and Nick Scott providing depth but no clear starter. Wheatley has the range and instincts to start from Day 1. This is a confident, clean pick.

Pick 227 (Round 7) -- Jackson Kuwatch, LB, Miami (OH) Acquired via MIA Grade: A (85.0)

The Panthers closed out their draft with another masterpiece of late-round value. Jackson Kuwatch was widely viewed as a top-125 prospect, and they landed him at pick 227. That is a 104-slot surplus -- one of the biggest steals in the entire draft. Kuwatch is an instinctive, sideline-to-sideline linebacker who can play in space and diagnose runs quickly. The Panthers have invested heavily at linebacker in recent years, signing Devin Lloyd and drafting Trevin Wallace, but Kuwatch adds quality depth and special-teams value. For a seventh-round pick, you are looking for a player who can make the roster and contribute. Kuwatch does that and then some.

Overall Grade: B (72.9)

When you step back and look at the full board, the Panthers' 2026 class is a tale of two narratives. On one hand, Morgan and his staff absolutely crushed the value game in Rounds 2, 5, and 7. Lee Hunter, Sam Hecht, and Jackson Kuwatch are all players who were viewed as significantly better prospects than the slots they were taken at. Chris Brazzell II and Zakee Wheatley provided fair value with clear need fits. Monroe Freeling is a solid, if slightly stretched, first-round tackle.

On the other hand, the Will Lee III pick at No. 129 is a blemish that is hard to ignore. Reaching 34 spots early for a player at a position that was not a pressing need drags down what could have been a borderline A-minus class. The best pick of the haul is Lee Hunter, whose combination of value and need fit is nearly perfect. The worst pick is clearly Lee III, a head-scratcher that cost the Panthers a chance to land a higher-impact player at a position of greater need.

The bottom line: The Panthers got better this weekend. They added a starting-caliber offensive tackle, a dynamic interior pass rusher, a chain-moving receiver, a versatile interior blocker, and a starting safety. That is a lot of roster improvement from a single draft. The grade is a solid B, with the potential to rise if Will Lee III develops into a contributor despite the reach. For a team trying to build around Bryce Young and accelerate the timeline under head coach Dave Canales, this class does enough to keep the arrow pointing up.

Pick-by-Pick Summary