Panthers 2025 NFL mock draft: The 7-round trade down, load up edition

Our first seven-round mock draft of the year features a trade down in Round 1 and 14 total draft picks.

Tim Weaver | Nov 27, 2024

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 7: Jahdae Barron #7 of the Texas Longhorns lines up for a play at Michigan Stadium on September 7, 2024 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. / (Photo by Olivia Ramirez/The University of Texas Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)

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Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers may finally be turning the corner after six and a half seasons of futility. While they lost by a last-second field goal to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, they won their previous two games and they're playing better (at least on one side of the ball) than they have in a long, long time.

Promising as it looks, there's still a lot of work to be done to reshape this roster. That's why we went full Maximum Effort in our first seven-round mock draft of the year for Carolina. Our strategy was simple: trade down in Round 1 and then fill as many roster holes as possible. Here's how it went down.

Round 1

Pick No. 5: Trade down with Browns

To address as many holes as this roster has even 11 picks might not be enough. That's why we decided to move down from the fifth overall spot in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. In exchange we got the eighth overall pick, plus two more picks in the top 100, plus another two selections in the sixth round. All together that adds 364 points, which comes out to a 21.41% gain in total draft capital.

Pick No. 8: Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan

Once we were on the clock we determined to pick the player who would best help Bryce Young along in his development. That meant taking the top wide receiver on the board, which happened to be Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan (6-foot-5, 212 pounds). In 36 games with the Wildcats, McMillan has posted 207 catches, 3,355 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns. Adding McMillan to the mix should give the Panthers a much-needed boost in the red zone.

Round 2

Pick No. 39: Penn State TE Tyler Warren

With the next pick we decided to double down on the giving Bryce Young more weapons dynamic. Ja'Tavion Sanders gives the Panthers a good foundation to rebuild their tight end room around, but Tyler Warren (6-foot-6, 249 pounds) would be even better to lead the charge. Warren has totaled 16 touchdowns and over 1,500 yards as a receiver and another 148 yards and six scores as a rusher.

Pick No. 47: Arkansas EDGE Landon Jackson

With two big new pass-catching options secured, we focused pretty much the entire rest of the draft on upgrading Carolina's defense at all three levels. Most of all they need to boost their pass rush, which Landon Jackson (6-foot-6, 259 pounds) could help with. Since transferring to Arkansas from LSU he has totaled 13 sacks and 24 tackles for a loss.

Round 3

Pick No. 71: Texas CB Jahdae Barron

Another thing Carolina's defense will need is a do-it-all piece for the secondary. That's where Jahdae Barron (5-foot-11, 183 pounds) comes in. Barron can play the boundary, the slot, the box or the deep safety position, offering depth practically everywhere. He also has plenty of ball skills, putting up seven interceptions and 21 pass breakups to go with 20 tackles for a loss.

Pick No. 94: Clemson LB Barrett Carter

Josey Jewell and Trevin Wallace look to be the team's long-term starters at inside linebacker, but they'll need depth assuming Shaq Thompson moves on this coming offseason. Drafting Clemson's Barrett Carter (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) would add that and more. The consensus fifth-best off-ball linebacker in his class, Carter has filled up the stat sheet in every way, totaling three picks, 19 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, 12.5 sacks and 32 tackles for a loss.

Round 4

Pick No. 107: Oregon DL Jordan Burch

Derrick Brown needs a partner in crime to start next to him inside, and nobody currently on the roster seems up to the challenge. Perhaps Oregon's Jordan Burch (6-foot-6, 268 pounds) could get the job done. After transferring from South Carolina, Burch has put up nine sacks and 17 tackles for a loss with the Ducks over the last two seasons (21 games).

Pick No. 113: Iowa State CB Darien Porter

Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson are holding down the boundaries but there's not much depth behind them. Iowa State star Darien Porter (6-foot-4, 200 pounds) has the length Dan Morgan and Dave Canales are likely to be looking for having come up under Pete Carroll in Seattle. Porter has earned a 90.4 coverage grade so far this season, second-best in the nation behind Barron.

Round 5

Pick No. 139: Alabama S Malachi Moore

Safety is another item Morgan will have to check off during the draft and Alabama produces some of the best safeties in the country. Malachi Moore (6-foot-0, 182 pounds) should continue the trend. In 63 career games he's done a bit of everyhing, totaling seven interceptions, 22 PBUs, three forced fumbles and 16 tackles for a loss.

Pick No. 143: Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel

Bryce Young seems to be finally breaking through to reach his potential, but there's nothing wong with planning ahead. With Andy Dalton now 37 years old, it would be wise to reset with a younger backup QB. Dillon Gabriel (6-foot-0, 200 pounds) has flashed at UCF, Oklahoma and now Oregon. All together he's thrown for almost 18,000 yards, 147 touchdowns and 32 interceptions. His 61 games at the college level would make him far more experienced than the average rookie quarterback.

Pick No. 161: Georgia DL Nazir Stackhouse

The interior defensive line might be the most valuable place to put your chips in the modern game, which is why doubling up here is a good strategy. Georgia's Nazir Stackhouse (6-foot-3, 320 pounds) won't wow you with his pass rushing numbers, but he is stout against the run and has championship experience.

Round 6

Pick No. 183: Ole Miss EDGE Jared Ivey (6-foot-6, 284 pounds)

Pick No. 204: Louisville CB Quincy Riley (6-foot-0, 195 pounds)

In the sixth round the goal was to add more depth at two critical positions: corner and edge. Thanks to the trade with Cleveland we were able to do both.

Round 7

Pick No. 223: Florida OT Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson (6-foot-7, 322 pounds)

Pick No. 231: USC iOL Jonah Monheim (6-foot-5, 311 pounds)

Carolina's offensive line is in great shape for now, which is why we waited until the seventh round to take some flyers on depth pieces. Picking up Crenshaw-Dickson and Monheim covers us both inside and outside.