Dez Smith'S MOCK DRAFT
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  • Dez Smith DRAFTING FOR THE
    Panthers
Draft Selections
Emeka Egbuka Head Shot
PICK: 8 RND: 1 (CAR)
Emeka Egbuka
WR Ohio State
Jalon Walker Head Shot
PICK: 39 RND: 2 (CAR)
Jalon Walker
LB-EDGE Georgia
Deone Walker Head Shot
PICK: 45 RND: 2 (CAR)
Deone Walker
DT Kentucky
Barrett Carter Head Shot
PICK: 65 RND: 3 (CAR)
Barrett Carter
LB Clemson
Nick Emmanwori Head Shot
PICK: 70 RND: 3 (CAR)
Nick Emmanwori
S South Carolina
Jalen Milroe Head Shot
PICK: 102 RND: 4 (CAR)
Jalen Milroe
QB Alabama
Raheim Sanders Head Shot
PICK: 139 RND: 5 (CAR)
Raheim Sanders
RB South Carolina
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 143 RND: 5 (CAR)
Trey Zuhn III
OT Texas A&M
LT Overton Head Shot
PICK: 159 RND: 5 (CAR)
LT Overton
DE-EDGE Alabama
Brennan Presley Head Shot
PICK: 217 RND: 7 (CAR)
Brennan Presley
WR Oklahoma State
Quinn Carroll Head Shot
PICK: 231 RND: 7 (CAR)
Quinn Carroll
OT Minnesota
Draft Picks Received
Emeka Egbuka Head Shot
PICK: 8 RND: 1 (CLE)
Emeka Egbuka
WR Ohio State
Jalon Walker Head Shot
PICK: 39 RND: 2 (CLE)
Jalon Walker
LB-EDGE Georgia
Nick Emmanwori Head Shot
PICK: 70 RND: 3 (CLE)
Nick Emmanwori
S South Carolina
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 1 (CLE)
NEXT YEAR (2026)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 2 (CLE)
NEXT YEAR (2026)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Travis Hunter Head Shot
PICK: 1 RND: 1 (CLE)
Travis Hunter
CB Colorado
Players Gained
Head Shot
Jerry Jeudy
WR
Draft Grade — Panthers
Overall A
ValueB NeedB+ TradesA+ FutureA+
The Panthers let Milroe fall into their laps, and walked away with a A.

The Panthers did not reach, did not trade up, did not blink. They just waited, and Jalen Milroe fell into the Round 4 slot. A near-flawless weekend of work, and a A to cap it.

The phones were where this weekend was really won. They punted on cornerback, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.

Bottom line, with Emeka Egbuka leading the way, this is a class that should pay off fast and rarely be regretted.

Pick Analysis
Pick8 Rnd1 Emeka Egbuka
In the 8th pick they get a No. 1 receiver. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Pick39 Rnd2 Jalon Walker
Nothing to complain about; Jalon Walker went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick45 Rnd2 Deone Walker
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Deone Walker in the 45th overall pick. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
Pick65 Rnd3 Barrett Carter
Nice patience on Barrett Carter, who had no business lasting to Round 3, Pick 1. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick70 Rnd3 Nick Emmanwori
Nick Emmanwori at the Round 3 slot is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. The roster fit checks out.
Pick102 Rnd4 Jalen Milroe
Jalen Milroe in pick 102 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick139 Rnd5 Raheim Sanders
A slide stopped in slot 139, with Raheim Sanders worth more than the price. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick143 Rnd5 Trey Zuhn III
The board fumbled Trey Zuhn III all the way to No. 143, and they scooped it up. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick159 Rnd5 LT Overton
A conviction pick on LT Overton at Round 5, Pick 21 that the board grades a round light. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick217 Rnd7 Brennan Presley
Steal is underselling it; Brennan Presley at pick No. 217 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick231 Rnd7 Quinn Carroll
Quinn Carroll in the 231st overall pick is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.