[email protected]'S MOCK DRAFT
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Draft 12 21 2025

Draft Selections
Carnell Tate Head Shot
PICK: 16 RND: 1 (CAR)
Carnell Tate
WR Ohio State
Jake Slaughter Head Shot
PICK: 48 RND: 2 (CAR)
Jake Slaughter
C Florida
Keith Abney II Head Shot
PICK: 96 RND: 3 (CAR)
Keith Abney II
CB Arizona State
Carson Beck Head Shot
PICK: 116 RND: 4 (CAR)
Carson Beck
QB Miami
Jacob Rodriguez Head Shot
PICK: 151 RND: 5 (CAR)
Jacob Rodriguez
LB Texas Tech
Zane Durant Head Shot
PICK: 156 RND: 5 (CAR)
Zane Durant
DT Penn State
Xavier Nwankpa Head Shot
PICK: 196 RND: 6 (CAR)
Xavier Nwankpa
S Iowa
Tristan Leigh Head Shot
PICK: 231 RND: 7 (CAR)
Tristan Leigh
OT Clemson
Draft Picks Received
Keith Abney II Head Shot
PICK: 96 RND: 3 (DEN)
Keith Abney II
CB Arizona State
Draft Picks Traded
Max Klare Head Shot
PICK: 80 RND: 3 (DEN)
Max Klare
TE Ohio State
Players Gained
Head Shot
Jonathon Cooper
LB
Draft Grade — Panthers
Overall B+
ValueB NeedA- TradesA+ FutureB-
The Panthers worked the phones like thieves and earned a B+.

The Panthers ran the phones like sharks, prying loose value on deal after deal until the ledger was lopsided. More right than wrong, and a B+ to match.

They are betting Durant proves the room right and everyone else wrong. If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through edge rusher. However the rest shakes out, Abney II at that price is a win they earned.

In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.

Pick Analysis
Pick16 Rnd1 Carnell Tate
In Round 1, Pick 16 they get a go-to option on the outside at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
Pick48 Rnd2 Jake Slaughter
Jake Slaughter at the 48th overall pick is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the offensive lineman. It fills a real need, too.
Pick96 Rnd3 Keith Abney II
You do not let a cornerback like Keith Abney II reach the 96th pick and blink. They did not. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Pick116 Rnd4 Carson Beck
A clean, defensible pick in pick 116 with a little surplus value in Carson Beck. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick151 Rnd5 Jacob Rodriguez
The board had cheaper options than Jacob Rodriguez at the Round 5 slot, and it noticed. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick156 Rnd5 Zane Durant
This one needs a full-page explanation: Zane Durant in pick No. 156, miles early. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
Pick196 Rnd6 Xavier Nwankpa
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Xavier Nwankpa in No. 196. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick231 Rnd7 Tristan Leigh
Tristan Leigh in slot 231 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.