Carolina Dave'S MOCK DRAFT
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Carolina Dave'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON APR 13, 2026

Draft 1

  • Carolina Dave DRAFTING FOR THE
    Panthers
Draft Selections
Caleb Lomu Head Shot
PICK: 19 RND: 1 (CAR)
Caleb Lomu
OT Utah
Jacob Rodriguez Head Shot
PICK: 51 RND: 2 (CAR)
Jacob Rodriguez
LB Texas Tech
Jake Slaughter Head Shot
PICK: 83 RND: 3 (CAR)
Jake Slaughter
C Florida
Malik Muhammad Head Shot
PICK: 119 RND: 4 (CAR)
Malik Muhammad
CB Texas
Malik Benson Head Shot
PICK: 158 RND: 5 (CAR)
Malik Benson
WR Oregon
Tim Keenan III Head Shot
PICK: 159 RND: 5 (CAR)
Tim Keenan III
DT Alabama
Draft Grade — Panthers
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB+ TradesB- FutureB-
The Panthers let Slaughter fall and pounced. Final grade: B-.

Call it larceny. Jake Slaughter sat on the board until Round 3, Pick 19, and the Panthers did not need to be asked twice. Call it a sensible B-, earned the boring way.

They covered a lot of ground and still skipped edge rusher, which is a strange place to end up. If Lomu pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. On the needs board they went 4 of 9, with wide receiver the one that mattered most.

Building through the lines is a philosophy, and they stuck to it.

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

Pick Analysis
Pick19 Rnd1 Caleb Lomu
In the 19th overall pick they get a long-term starter on the line, even if it was a touch early. A clean fit for the roster.
Pick51 Rnd2 Jacob Rodriguez
Jacob Rodriguez at pick No. 51 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick83 Rnd3 Jake Slaughter
Steal is underselling it; Jake Slaughter at pick 83 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick119 Rnd4 Malik Muhammad
A tidy bit of business in the 119th pick, where Malik Muhammad graded well above the range. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick158 Rnd5 Malik Benson
Malik Benson slipping to Round 5, Pick 18 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick159 Rnd5 Tim Keenan III
Fair-plus on Tim Keenan III, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.