The Carolina Panthers entered the 2026 NFL Draft riding a wave of momentum. Fresh off winning the NFC South and making a playoff run, general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales had a clear mission: protect the franchise, strengthen the trenches, and surround Bryce Young with the weapons and armor he needs to take the next leap. When the confetti settled over Pittsburgh, the Panthers had added seven players who represent not just immediate competition, but the long-term identity of this team.
Here is a full breakdown of every player the Panthers brought in, with a particular focus on the three crown jewels of this class.
Monroe Freeling | Offensive Tackle | Georgia | Round 1, Pick 19 (Overall)
Strengths: Monroe Freeling is a generational athlete at the offensive tackle position. Standing 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds with 34 and three-quarter inch arms, he combines rare length with elite quickness. Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Freeling as the third-best offensive tackle in the entire draft class and the 13th-best player overall, citing his quickness out of his stance, good hand placement, and alertness when dealing with stunts. His long arms also do an impressive job of taking away the inside move of edge rushers.
Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald awarded the pick a B+ grade, calling Freeling “flatly one of the most athletic players in this year’s class with all the tools in the world to grow into a top tackle,” describing him as a “unicorn in terms of athleticism at offensive tackle.”
What makes Freeling so exciting as a prospect is the trajectory of his development. He earned Second Team All-SEC honors at the conclusion of the 2025 season, and the consensus evaluation is that he is an ascending player who can continue to improve now that he is in the NFL. He is only 21 years old, a South Carolina native who gets to play three hours from home, and he brings the kind of upside that teams spend years searching for.
Weaknesses: The honest evaluation here is relatively minor given how high Freeling’s ceiling projects. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein noted that with only one full season as a starter, filling out his frame and improving his technique should be early priorities, adding that lunging and deadening feet post-punch must be coached out of his muscle memory so his athleticism and length can do their jobs. Run blocking consistency is also an area where NFL coaching can make a significant difference.
Potential Fit: The Panthers did not arrive in Pittsburgh with any plans to pigeonhole Freeling into one specific role. The organization made clear that they are not forcing him into any particular side of the line or any set spot on the depth chart. They simply know he is a talent.
With right tackle Taylor Moton turning 32 during training camp, Freeling arrives at precisely the right time to develop behind a veteran and eventually become a cornerstone of this offensive line for the next decade.
Quote: “I think Detroit was still on the clock, and I got a call, and I was like, hold on, let me pick this up, and they’re like, ‘Hey, this is the Carolina Panthers.'” The excitement in Freeling’s voice when that phone rang tells you everything about the kind of energy he is bringing to Charlotte.
Lee Hunter | Defensive Tackle | Texas Tech | Round 2, Pick 49 (via trade with Minnesota Vikings)
Strengths: Lee Hunter is exactly the kind of player you trade up to get. The Panthers surrendered the 51st and 159th overall picks to Minnesota to move two spots and land this monster of a defensive tackle, and the investment could not be more justified. Nicknamed “The Fridge,” Hunter is a 6-foot-4, 330-pound run-stopper who showed the ability to rush the passer in college and is primarily regarded as a dominant force against the run.
The production backs up the nickname. In his one season at Texas Tech, Hunter recorded 41 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. He earned second-team All-America honors from both the Football Writers Association of America and USA Today, along with third-team recognition from the Associated Press, marking the first All-America accolades of his career. Playing for a program that sent three players into the top 50 picks of the draft, Hunter proved he belonged in elite company.
Weaknesses: Hunter’s path to the NFL has not been straightforward. He started his career at Auburn in 2021 and then played three seasons at UCF before spending his final season as a Red Raider. Developing consistency across an entire NFL season will be a key focus early in his career, and teams will probe whether he can be a genuine three-down player or whether his biggest value comes on early downs as a run stopper.
Potential Fit: Hunter joins a defensive front that already includes Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III, both of whom arrived via trade at last year’s deadline. The Panthers described him as a massive run-stopper who can complement Derrick Brown. In a division that runs through physical offenses, having an immovable object in the middle of the defensive line is not a luxury. It is a necessity. Hunter has the size, production, and motor to be a Day 1 impact player along the interior.
Quote: The energy surrounding Hunter’s arrival was impossible to miss. After the selection was announced, the Panthers’ social media team asked: “Have you ever tried moving a fridge?” That sums up what opposing offensive lines are about to face.
Chris Brazzell II | Wide Receiver | Tennessee | Round 3, Pick 83
Strengths: When Dave Canales talks about a wide receiver prospect, it carries weight. Canales spent years developing pass-catchers in Seattle, and his excitement upon landing Chris Brazzell II with the 83rd overall pick was palpable. Brazzell is a long-striding and explosive vertical matchup wide receiver with elite top-end speed that consistently wins on vertical and downfield routes. He embodies the phrase, “If he’s even, he’s leaving.”
Brazzell also brings a professional pedigree. His father played in both the NFL and the CFL, and Brazzell began his career at Tulane before transferring to the SEC, where he elevated his game against top-tier competition. In Tennessee, he caught touchdown passes against Alabama, Kentucky, and Mississippi State, proving he can deliver on big stages.
Weaknesses: Brazzell’s overall play strength can improve, as physical defenders will make contact and disrupt his timing mid-route. He also needs to develop his contested-catch technique, particularly using late hands to avoid tipping off defenders before making a play on the football. He does not project as a highly productive yards-after-the-catch receiver due to limited lateral agility after the catch.
Potential Fit: The landing spot could not be better for Brazzell’s development. The Panthers are coming off a division crown, Bryce Young is improving, and the pressure will not be on Brazzell to be an immediate star.
The 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan, will demand the lion’s share of attention from opposing defenses, and Jalen Coker has been a reliable slot presence. That creates real space for Brazzell to work the deep part of the field and develop at a healthy pace. His speed alone will force defensive coordinators to account for him on every play.
Quote: Head coach Dave Canales made no attempt to hide his enthusiasm after selecting Brazzell, and his experience coaching wideouts in Seattle gave those words real credibility. “The Volunteers wideout brings more size and speed to the receiver corps,” the Panthers noted in their own description of the pick.
Will Lee III | Cornerback | Texas A&M | Round 4, Pick 129 (via trade with Chicago Bears)
Strengths: Will Lee III has one of the best stories in this entire draft class. He started at Iowa Western Community College, transferred to Kansas State, then transferred again to Texas A&M, earning the nickname “The Blanket” along the way.
At Kansas State, he recorded 42 tackles, six passes defended, and two interceptions. At Texas A&M, he added another 42 tackles and ten breakups in 2024, followed by 50 tackles and eight breakups in 2025.
Lee has the man-coverage tools and techniques to be a true shutdown corner in the NFL. His long, athletic frame is a tremendous asset when mirroring receivers on the outside, and he uses his length and eyes to attack the catch point with well-timed strikes. At 6-foot-1 and 189 pounds with a 4.54-second 40-yard dash and a 42-inch vertical, the athleticism is genuinely there.
Weaknesses: Lee is better in man coverage than in zone, and pure speed can break away from him, meaning he will need help over the top at times at the next level. He also needs to play with more anticipation to match breaks and trigger more quickly from depth.
Potential Fit: The Panthers view Lee as a long and explosive athlete who can be an in-house candidate to eventually replace Mike Jackson on the outside. Getting a player with SEC experience, strong ball skills, and elite competitive drive in the fourth round represents genuine value. Lee has earned every opportunity he has gotten throughout his career, and he will bring that same grind mentality to Charlotte.
Quote: Will Lee III is known as “The Blanket” for a reason. His willingness to challenge the opponent’s best receiver every single week is the kind of competitive fire that coaches build defensive schemes around.
Sam Hecht | Center | Kansas State | Round 5, Pick 144 (via trade with Tennessee Titans)
Strengths: Sam Hecht may be the most underrated selection in this entire draft class, and that is saying something given the overall quality of what the Panthers put together. Over the course of his college career at Kansas State, Hecht did not allow a single sack across 1,588 snaps, and he finished his senior season without committing a single penalty. That level of reliability is almost unheard of.
One scouting report called Hecht one of the most pro-ready centers in the class, noting that his pass-blocking abilities are crystal clear, that he allowed zero sacks and only two quarterback hits in over 800 pass-blocking reps, and that his technique matched his production. He was described as a cerebral leader on the interior who plays a calm game. The same report awarded Hecht an A grade for the Panthers.
Weaknesses: Hecht could cultivate more mass on his frame at the next level, and his agility was a weakness at times against explosive defensive tackles or blitzing linebackers. Getting stronger will be a priority during his development, but the foundation of his technique is rock solid.
Potential Fit: Panthers GM Dan Morgan was direct about the motivation here, stating that the team needed to add youth to the interior and exterior of the offensive line, and that Hecht addressed exactly that goal. The Panthers signed veteran Luke Fortner in free agency to provide a bridge, but Hecht is the long-term answer at the most important interior position in football. He projects to be the team’s long-term solution in the middle of the offensive front. A center that has never allowed a sack is a rare and beautiful thing, and getting one in the fifth round borders on highway robbery.
Quote: When Hecht was asked about his remarkable streak of zero sacks allowed, he immediately pushed the praise toward his college teammates, but acknowledged the pride that comes with excelling at what an offensive lineman is asked to do above all else. That kind of humility and team-first mindset is exactly what you want anchoring your offensive line.
Zakee Wheatley | Safety | Penn State | Round 5, Pick 151 (via trade with Miami Dolphins)
Strengths: The Panthers traded up on Day 3 for the third time in the draft to secure Zakee Wheatley, and that level of urgency tells you how much Carolina valued him. Wheatley is one of the most physical defensive backs in this draft class. He used his larger 6-foot-3 frame to his advantage throughout his time at Penn State, producing highlight-reel run-stops on his film and showing solid comfort when asked to play zone coverage.
Wheatley also brings outstanding football intelligence to complement his physical tools. His ability to be in the right place more than makes up for any athletic limitations, and he has been building that football IQ throughout his career.
Weaknesses: Wheatley’s lack of long speed hurts his ability to play man coverage. His best role in the NFL will likely be as a box safety, and the less often he is asked to blanket a tight end or running back in man coverage, the better.
Potential Fit: In a modern NFL that features bigger, more physical tight ends and run-heavy personnel groupings, having a box safety who can physically match up with those players is invaluable. Wheatley fits beautifully alongside the Panthers’ defensive identity and gives the secondary a physical tone-setter who can also contribute in zone coverage.
Quote: “I’ve been dealing with this my whole life. My whole life, I’ve been someone who might have been doubted just based on circumstances, and I can’t wait to show my speed in Carolina.” That kind of chip on the shoulder is exactly what you want in a fifth-round pick competing for a roster spot.
Jackson Kuwatch | Linebacker | Miami (Ohio) | Round 7, Pick 227
Strengths: Every great draft class finishes with a player who was not supposed to be there. Jackson Kuwatch may be that player for the 2026 Panthers. He started his career at Ohio State before transferring to Miami (Ohio), where he started 14 games last season and produced 109 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 5.0 sacks. That is Day 2 production from a seventh-round pick, and the special teams ability he brings adds even more value to a roster spot.
Kuwatch is also a student of the game in the most literal sense. Growing up in Cincinnati, Kuwatch watched former Panthers great Luke Kuechly closely, and Kuechly remains his favorite player in football. You could not script a better influence for a linebacker headed to Charlotte.
Weaknesses: The jump from the MAC conference to the NFL is a significant one, and the level of competition Kuwatch faced in college does not fully prepare you for the speed and precision of NFL offenses. He will need time to process faster and shed blocks more efficiently before earning meaningful defensive snaps.
Potential Fit: Kuwatch arrives with a clear and achievable role on Day 1 as a special teams contributor, and his production level suggests there is more to come. The Panthers closed the draft with a player who idolizes Luke Kuechly, plays in Charlotte’s defensive tradition, and has the motor to fight for a spot on this roster every single day of training camp.
Quote: “I grew up watching [Luke Kuechly] a lot,” Kuwatch shared shortly after the Panthers made him their final pick. There is something poetic about that. Keep Pounding, indeed.
Final Verdict: A Draft Class Built to Last
The Panthers entered the 2026 NFL Draft with a clear vision and exited Pittsburgh having executed it nearly perfectly. By using a first-round pick on 21-year-old Monroe Freeling and a fifth-round pick on 23-year-old Sam Hecht, Carolina injected both talent and youth into an offensive line that is good but getting older.
Add a dominant run-stuffer in Lee Hunter, a deep threat in Brazzell, a long-limbed cornerback with a remarkable journey in Will Lee III, a physical safety in Wheatley, and a high-motor linebacker to close things out, and this looks like a seven-player class that can grow alongside Bryce Young and Tetairoa McMillan into a genuine contender.
Dan Morgan and Dave Canales have been building something real in Charlotte. This draft class just added another floor to the structure.
