The Carolina Panthers will simply be glad that the outlook has changed from this time a year ago. Then, a disastrous trade up for Bryce Young and an equally discouraging rookie year from the former Alabama quarterback painted a bleak picture in Carolina.

After a 5-12 season in 2024, however, things are looking up. Young reclaimed his job after a brief benching and, paired with new head coach Dave Canales, began to display the traits that saw him drafted at the top of the draft in the first place.

Now, with Young having earned another season as the Panthers’ signal caller, they must begin to fill out the team around him. Armed with the eighth pick, a pair of day-two selections, and nine picks in total, Carolina has plenty of resources to begin building a team capable of pushing for the playoffs.

Read on for the full outlook of the Carolina Panthers’ 2025 NFL Draft picks.

Carolina Panthers Needs & Draft Strategy

As one of the league’s worst teams over the last several years, and having endured a 2024 draft without a first round pick, the Carolina Panthers are far from short on needs. Whether it’s bulking up the trenches or providing Bryce Young with more skill talent around him, the Panthers would be wise to take a best player available approach.

It’s a passing league and the Panthers, led by an offensive-minded head coach, are desperate to build Young up into the player they deemed worthy of the first overall selection. And there’s no better way to do that than by securing a true, bona fide, number-one wide receiver.

Although Xavier Legette flashed promise as a rookie, the Panthers still did not have a pass catcher hit 50 receptions in 2024. Adam Thielen, headed into his age-35 season, led the team in receiving with a lowly 615 yards, while Jalen Coker was the lone outlet for explosiveness. Finding an elite wideout and shifting Legette and Coker into secondary roles could be a huge boost to the offense.

Sticking on offense and the notion of aiding Young, a long-term solution at center would be a wise target. As an offense, the Panthers allowed the seventh highest pressure rate in the league last year, so it’s a clear area of need.

Since Drew Brees broke through the glass ceiling for undersized quarterbacks, the importance of a strong interior line has been stressed when playing a short passer. With Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt at either guard spot, Carolina can lock in on the pivot and identify a center to become a foundational piece.

Rounding out the Panthers’ three most pressing needs is on the other side of the ball, where an edge rusher to complement the tremendous Derrick Brown is needed. Jadeveon Clowney, a veteran and pending free agent, led the team in sacks a year ago with 5.5. As a team, Carolina ranked 29th in sacks and dead last in pressure rate.

Brown is such an impactful, dominant interior defensive lineman that any edge rusher will benefit from playing alongside him. For the Panthers, it’s about finding the right one.

Potential Carolina Panthers Draft Picks 2025

In a draft class without a top receiver in the ilk of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Ja’Marr Chase, the Carolina Panthers should have their pick of the group at eighth overall should they choose. Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan has the profile of a number one wideout and his addition would satisfy the idea of sliding Legette and Coker down the ladder.

Should they elect to go elsewhere at the top, a day two-level receiver like Emeka Egbuka, Tre Harris, or Pat Bryant could slot into a perimeter role and allow the Panthers to see how their three young receivers develop before prioritizing accordingly.

As it’s not an overwhelmingly strong draft for interior linemen, compared to past years, the Panthers should feel comfortable allowing round one to come and go before they turn their attention to that need.

Armed with the Los Angeles Rams’ second round pick, either of the draft’s top two centers in Ohio State’s Seth McLaughlin or Georgia’s Jared Wilson could be there for the taking.

While center may be short on top-end talent, no such concern exists for edge rushers. While the draft’s best, Abdul Carter, will most likely be out of reach without a trade up, Carolina could find a great consolation prize in Georgia’s Mykel Williams or Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart. The explosiveness of Williams, in particular, would be so appealing alongside Derrick Brown.

Further down the draft, a pair of Buckeyes in Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau could draw interest on day two. Should the Panthers wait and see on edge rushers, however, they won’t be short on options as it’s an incredibly talent rich position.