B-
Carolina Panthers
Nothing loud, just a tidy B- for the Panthers.
by pj_doucette ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
When the story of this class is written, it opens with Keyron Crawford at the 51st pick, a reach of 65 spots that the board flatly disagrees with.
Getting Scott where they did is the sort of value that quietly makes a class. That safety hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall. The roster is better shaped than it was, with wide receiver chief among the fixes.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but safety.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a matchup problem out wide. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Keyron Crawford in Round 2, Pick 19, miles early. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Steal is underselling it; Keionte Scott at slot 83 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Mikail Kamara at the 119th pick is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Quintayvious Hutchins this early at the 158th overall pick. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
The board had Isaiah World higher than pick No. 159, and the offensive lineman fell to them anyway. It fills a real need, too.
They paid sticker price for Justin Jefferson in Round 6, Pick 19, and that is fine. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.