After Dan Morgan hinted at trading back, here's who the Panthers might target

The Carolina Panthers may trade out of their original draft spot.

Dec 7, 2024; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Malaki Starks (24) practices before the 2024 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers find themselves with the eighth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. It's not the best spot for a team to be in with so many holes, especially on defense, but the chance for an impact player is still there. In most mocks, the best of the best, i.e. Abdul Carter, are off the board by Carolina's pick.

That could happen in the real draft. Unless there's another run on quarterbacks, which isn't all that likely, a lot of great defenders should be unavailable by the eighth pick. If that happens, GM Dan Morgan isn't ruling out moving back and accruing more draft capital. But who would they pick instead?

Who could the Panthers trade back for?

In his first draft as the main GM in 2024, Dan Morgan showed he's not unwilling to move around in the draft. He moved up to get Xavier Legette at the very end of the first round, and he moved up to land Jonathon Brooks in round two.

In 2025, moving up isn't very likely, but moving back is. "I think everything’s on the table, like I always say," Morgan hinted via Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. "Obviously, depending on who’s on the board at number eight, that’s always going to be an option — to trade back."

If the Panthers do trade back, who could they target? Assuming they move to pick 10 or worse, Jalon Walker is unlikely to be there. That still leaves a few possible impact players. Georgia safety Malaki Starks, Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams, Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr., or Texas A&M edge Nic Scourton are all candidates later in the first round.

The Panthers have a decent amount of draft capital already, but they're still hurting from a roster standpoint from the move to get Bryce Young in 2023. That cost them several picks that could've been used to fill out the roster with young, cheaper players.

Trading back for Scourton or Williams might make the most sense. This gives them an impact edge rusher since they'll probably miss out on Carter and it gives them at least a few more picks to fill out the rest of the defense.

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