A-
Carolina Panthers
Best value of the weekend goes to the Panthers for Branch: A-.
by Mo ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 8 steals
· 1 reaches
The value of the weekend has a name and a slot: Zachariah Branch, pick 95, roughly 34 picks past where he belonged.
Every deal seemed to tilt their way, which is not luck. They will regret leaving edge rusher for another day if the season turns on it. Reaching for Green left real value on the table behind him.
Adding Harold Landry III by trade rounds out the weekend beyond the rookies.
Bottom line, with Sonny Styles leading the way, this is a class that should pay off fast and rarely be regretted.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 31 they get a green-dot type in the middle at a price that makes it sweeter. Exactly the need they had to hit.
A tidy bit of business in pick No. 51, where Caleb Banks graded well above the range. A minor itch, scratched.
A quiet steal in the Round 3 slot: Jacob Rodriguez for less than the market said. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
A wide receiver of that caliber at the 95th pick is the definition of value, full stop. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Bryce Lance at pick 119 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Steal is underselling it; Treydan Stukes at the 124th overall pick is a heist with the alarm still ringing. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
You do not let a safety like Bud Clark reach Round 4, Pick 25 and blink. They did not. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Dametrious Crownover at slot 158 is the proof. It fills a real need, too.
They took Kage Casey at par in pick No. 159, which is nothing to complain about. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
The board had cheaper options than Taylen Green at the 175th overall pick, and it noticed. It patches a soft spot without any drama.