Carolina Panthers to meet sharp WR prospect with fascinating NFL comp

Iowa State stud Jaylin Noel will be meeting with a ton of teams, including the Panthers.

Jan 30, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; National team wide receiver Jaylin Noel of Iowa State (12) works through drills during Senior Bowl practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Whether the Carolina Panthers are aware of it or not, wide receiver is one of their greatest roster needs as we head into the stretch run going into the 2025 NFL draft. Despite the urgency needed at this spot thus far the Panthers had shown no interest whatsoever in signing any outside free agents at this spot, and the only guys they've signed is bringing back depth options in David Moore and Dan Chisena.

Carolina's front office had also shown very little interest in the 2025 draft class at wide receiver. Until yesterday Jack Bech from TCU was their only reported prospect meeting at this position.

Good news: there's finally a break-through here. According to Justin Melo at The Draft Network, the team has scheduled an official top-30 meeting with Iowa State stud Jaylin Noel.

Noel (5-foot-10, 196 pounds) is a departure from the usual look the Panthers like in their wide receivers. During his time at Iowa State his production grew each season, until he peaked in his Senior year, posting 80 catches, 1,194 yards and eight touchdowns.

One potential hiccup is that Noel does his best work from the slot, which is also true of WR1 Adam Thielen and up-and-comerJalen Coker. As yet the Panthers don't have much as far as an established outside option goes, so it might make more sense to target one of them.

That said, it shouldn't move Carolina off Noel completely by any means. The scouting report on Noel from Kyle Crabb mentions his sharp route running and wide catch radius, attributes that the Panthers' current receivers are missing far too often.

The pro comp for Noel from Crabb is Sterling Shepard, which was one veteran who was identified early on as an ideal fit for the Panthers. Shepard's numbers have never gotten back to his rookie year level, when he posted 683 yards and eight touchdowns. However, that has far more to do with the Giants' lackluster quarterbacks than anything - in Tampa Shepard could be a lethal third option beneath Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.

The same could be true for Noel with the Panthers. Another benefit with targeting Noel is that they wouldn't have to use their eighth overall pick to get him. Noel isn't expected to come off the board until late in the second round, so he should still be on the board when they're on the clock at 57 overall.

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