KDE'S MOCK DRAFT
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KDE'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON FEB 16, 2026

Ken 0216

  • KDE DRAFTING FOR THE
    Panthers
Draft Selections
Joshua Josephs Head Shot
PICK: 19 RND: 1 (CAR)
Joshua Josephs
DE-EDGE Tennessee
Josiah Trotter Head Shot
PICK: 60 RND: 2 (CAR)
Josiah Trotter
LB Missouri
Keionte Scott Head Shot
PICK: 83 RND: 3 (CAR)
Keionte Scott
CB Miami
Caden Curry Head Shot
PICK: 91 RND: 3 (CAR)
Caden Curry
DE Ohio State
Bryce Lance Head Shot
PICK: 119 RND: 4 (CAR)
Bryce Lance
WR North Dakota State
Aamil Wagner Head Shot
PICK: 156 RND: 5 (CAR)
Aamil Wagner
OT Notre Dame
Pat Coogan Head Shot
PICK: 157 RND: 5 (CAR)
Pat Coogan
C Indiana
Red Murdock Head Shot
PICK: 166 RND: 5 (CAR)
Red Murdock
LB Buffalo
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 198 RND: 6 (CAR)
Trey Zuhn III
OT Texas A&M
Cole Payton Head Shot
PICK: 235 RND: 7 (CAR)
Cole Payton
QB North Dakota State
Draft Picks Received
Josiah Trotter Head Shot
PICK: 60 RND: 2 (BUF)
Josiah Trotter
LB Missouri
Caden Curry Head Shot
PICK: 91 RND: 3 (BUF)
Caden Curry
DE Ohio State
Red Murdock Head Shot
PICK: 166 RND: 5 (BUF)
Red Murdock
LB Buffalo
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (BUF)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
CJ Allen Head Shot
PICK: 51 RND: 2 (BUF)
CJ Allen
LB Georgia
Draft Grade — Panthers
Overall B-
ValueC+ NeedB+ TradesB FutureB-
The Panthers did the meat-and-potatoes work well: B-.

The Panthers went off the board in a big way for Pat Coogan, 33 picks early. Conviction is one thing; this is another. Solid and sensible more than spectacular: a B-.

They banked enough surplus on Payton to cover a lot of smaller sins. Leaving safety unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. Wide receiver is handled and the depth chart looks a good deal healthier for it.

They chose more darts over a bigger single swing.

In short, they left a little better than they arrived, which is the whole idea.

Pick Analysis
Pick19 Rnd1 Joshua Josephs
In pick No. 19 they get a premier pass rusher, reach and all. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Pick60 Rnd2 Josiah Trotter
No edge and no loss on Josiah Trotter in Round 2, Pick 28; it is a wash and a sensible one. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick83 Rnd3 Keionte Scott
They read the board right and Keionte Scott was the payoff at slot 83. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Pick91 Rnd3 Caden Curry
The board had cheaper options than Caden Curry at No. 91, and it noticed. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick119 Rnd4 Bryce Lance
Bryce Lance at the Round 4 slot nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick156 Rnd5 Aamil Wagner
They jumped the gun on Aamil Wagner, taking him earlier than his grade liked. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick157 Rnd5 Pat Coogan
This one needs a full-page explanation: Pat Coogan in No. 157, miles early. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick166 Rnd5 Red Murdock
Value said wait; Red Murdock in pick No. 166 says they were not listening. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick198 Rnd6 Trey Zuhn III
Trey Zuhn III at pick 198 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick235 Rnd7 Cole Payton
Value with a capital V on Cole Payton in the Round 7 slot, a genuine coup. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.