The Panthers are just a few days away from free agency, but not every roster hole will be filled on the open market this month.
There are limited options available at several positions — whether for a lack of talent or an overwhelming price — in free agency, and that outlook will force the Panthers to look toward April’s NFL Draft to address some of their needs.
That’s why The Charlotte Observer put together this pre-free agency mock draft.
The draft is about long-term thinking — with free agency filling immediate needs — so this exercise is based on both the current state of the roster and the team’s needs in 2027, 2028 and beyond.
(Writer’s note: The selection order of the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds will be altered following the awarding of compensatory picks later this offseason. That is why there aren’t specific selection numbers associated with Day 3 picks.)
2026 NFL mock draft: Panthers improve trenches on Day 1
First round (19th overall): Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
Ickey Ekwonu is entering the final year of his rookie deal as he recovers from patellar tendon surgery. Taylor Moton is signed through 2027 and will turn 32 in August.
So, the Panthers need both short-term and long-term insurance at the two offensive tackle positions. Their immediate need for left tackle help can be partially alleviated by re-signing swing tackle Yosh Nijman in free agency, but that move would be more of a band-aid than a protective shield.
If Ekwonu fails to come back in 2026 or doesn’t live up to his typical acumen, the Panthers could move on from the former first-round pick. So, they’d then need a left tackle of the future.
And even if Ekwonu were to return ahead of expectations and perform well, the team would still need a future right tackle to take the place of Moton down the road.
Enter Freeling — a Charleston, South Carolina, native — with long limbs and quick feet.
The 6-foot-7, 315-pound lineman is a massive and impressive athlete at the tackle position. He’s also shown he can play on both sides of the line, while not having a ton of experience on either side — leaving him free of longstanding habits.
Freeling would be a moldable piece for offensive line coach Joe Gilbert to work with over the next few years. And if Nijman is re-signed and/or Ekwonu makes a quick recovery, the Panthers can take their time with developing Freeling.
This pick is logical from both financial and developmental aspects.
Day 2: Getting better in passing game on both sides of the ball
Second round (51st overall): Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
The Panthers have significant needs elsewhere, but Stowers feels like an upgrade at a position that’s been middling for a while. The Vanderbilt tight end is an impressive athlete and was a captain for the Commodores during his college career.
During his two seasons at Vanderbilt, Stowers collected 1,407 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 111 catches. That’s the type of production the Panthers should want from a No. 1 tight end. Stowers would complement both Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans, and he’d likely upgrade Ja’Tavion Sanders as the “move” tight end.
A little interesting nugget as well: Former Panthers tight end Jordan Matthews was part of the Commodores’ coaching staff last year and worked with Stowers and his position group. Matthews worked with Panthers tight ends coach Pat McPherson for a season in Carolina, so there’s some connective tissue there, too.
Third round (83rd overall): Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
Louis is an interesting player, who might go a little bit higher than the middle of the third round. However, his fit for the Panthers is quite obvious on paper.
The 6-foot, 220-pound linebacker is impressive in coverage. He’s a notable safety/linebacker tweener in the opposite direction of Tre’von Moehrig. While Moehrig is dynamic as a run defender and blitzer from multiple spots, Louis is a mix-and-match defender in coverage. Pairing those two together in nickel and dime packages could create uncanny pre-snap looks for opposing offenses.
The expectation here is that the Panthers will “attack” the linebacker position in both free agency in the draft. If the team were to land someone like Devin Lloyd in free agency, GM Dan Morgan would also likely add to the mix on Day 2 or Day 3 of the draft.
The Panthers want to get faster on defense, and they also want to create more turnovers. Louis can help in both cases. He had six interceptions and 10 sacks in his final two seasons with the Pitt Panthers. He also ran an impressive 4.53-second 40-yard dash in Indianapolis last week.
Day 3: Adding depth all around the roster
Fourth round: Logan Jones, C, Iowa
The Panthers might not be able to pay everyone on the offensive line this offseason. If Cade Mays walks for a heavy pay day, Carolina might choose to replace him with a cost-effective rookie.
Jones is an athletic, yet undersized blocker. He could be an effective center, though, in Harold Goodwin’s zone-heavy blocking scheme. While the Panthers could look for a stopgap veteran starter in 2026, Jones could develop into a long-term answer in front of Bryce Young.
Expect the competition to be wide-ranging at center this summer if the Panthers go the draft route over free agency.
Fifth round: George Gumbs Jr., OLB, Florida
This is probably too late for the Panthers to pounce on an edge rusher, but that’s how the board fell. The expectation is that the team will add at least one veteran pass rusher to the mix in free agency, so that would soften this aesthetic blow in theory.
Gumbs is coming off a sensational showing at the NFL Scouting Combine. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound pass rusher ran a 7-second 3-cone drill and a 4.66-second 40-yard dash in Indianapolis. Those times show that Gumbs has substantial bend and change-of-direction ability, and he’s got the speed to drop into coverage at his position.
While he’s a bit inexperienced at outside linebacker — he entered college as a wide receiver before moving to tight end and, eventually, defensive end — his production at the college level was fine. He produced 7.5 sacks in two seasons at Florida after transferring from Northern Illinois.
Gumbs isn’t D.J. Johnson. He’s younger, has a bit more experience at the pass rusher position, and his change-of-direction skills are much more apparent.
Fifth round (via MIN): Eric Rivers, WR, Georgia Tech
If the Panthers don’t address the wideout position in free agency, they’ll almost assuredly look toward the draft to add speed to the depth chart.
Rivers is a ready-made deep threat with plenty of college experience. The 5-foot-10, 176-pound receiver was among the standouts of the Shrine Bowl in January, and he reminds this beat writer of a young Brandin Cooks, albeit without the gaudy college numbers.
Rivers could serve as rotational piece to complement Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette. He’d preferably rotate as a flanker and slot receiver, stretching the defense and opening up space for his teammates underneath safety coverage.
Rivers ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash in Indianapolis. He averaged 15.7 yards per catch across three seasons at Florida International and Georgia Tech. He produced 16 touchdowns over those three seasons as well.
Sixth round: Luke Altmyer, QB, Illinois
Morgan has been adamant about the Panthers’ desire to get younger and quicker at backup quarterback. He’s also mentioned potentially double-dipping at the position in free agency and the draft.
With that in mind, the late rounds seem right for a QB pick.
Altmyer was a three-year college starter. The 23-year-old passer threw for 7,607 yards and 57 touchdowns during his stint with The Fighting Illini.
He also has understated quickness to avoid the pass rush in the pocket, which is something the Panthers are clearly accounting for this offseason.
In speaking with him at the NFL Scouting Combine, Altmyer has a bit of an edge to him. He’s clearly competitive and wants to start, but he also knows the importance of being a backup in a QB room.
He’s worth a flier here for sure.
* The Panthers’ seventh-round pick was traded to the Minnesota Vikings as part of the Adam Thielen trade last August. The Panthers acquired an additional fifth-round pick, as seen above, in the same deal.