CHARLOTTE — The 2026 NFL draft is now just weeks away. Teams are updating their big board every day, welcoming in prospects for visits, and evaluating their current rosters every minute of every day. Only a select few in each building know what a club might do when the first round kicks off on April 23 in Pittsburgh. But between now and then, we will take a look at every position on the field and how some might even impact the Carolina Panthers.

Rd. 1, No. 19 overall

Rd. 2, No. 51 overall

Rd. 3, No. 83 overall

Rd. 4, No. 119 overall

Rd. 5, No. 158 overall (from Minnesota)

Rd. 5, No. 159 overall

Rd. 6, No. 200 overall

Next up is inside linebacker.

Position previews are an aggregation of the opinions and analyses of various draft websites and mock drafts. These are not rankings of a position, but rather a preview of names projected across all three days of the draft. Analysis by the Panthers editorial staff does not reflect the Panthers football staff and front office.

The Panthers knew they needed to shore up inside linebacker this offseason, so Dan Morgan and crew got a huge jump start in free agency. Carolina signed former Jacksonville Jaguars ILB Devin Lloyd in March, the former first-round Pro Bowler who averaged 109 tackles a season during his four years on the First Coast. He also had 1.5 sacks last season and five interceptions, which were tied for second-most league-wide.

Lloyd will join Trevin Wallace, who is heading into his third year. Wallace has called the plays at times over his first two seasons. A season-ending shoulder injury sidelined him the last three games of the season (including postseason).

Claudin Cherelus and Bam Martin-Scott currently provide depth. Cherelus started four games last season.

This year's class at inside linebacker is deep with a range of prospects that present a variety of skill sets and options.

Sonny Styles

Styles looks like he was built in a lab to be a coverage-savvy linebacker. His 6-5 frame carries 244 pounds with ease; he has the coverage, recognition, and skill held over from his days as a safety, and he lurks in the middle of the field with a cerebral approach that allows him to diagnose plays with ease. It's an ideal blend of athleticism and smarts that he learned from years of watching Luke Kuechly tape.

The son of former NFL linebacker Lorenzo Styles and a starter on Ohio State's national championship team, Sonny led the Buckeyes last season with 82 tackles. He had 6.5 for loss, 1.0 sack, an interception, three passes defensed, and a forced fumble.

Jacob Rodriquez

Let's address the first thing someone might notice about Rodriguez's football card. He's undersized at 6-1, 231 pounds. But once you turn on the tape, none of that matters. His highlights are an endless montage of a madman running all over the field. He has a knack for knocking the ball out of the air, leading to his six passes defensed and four interceptions in 2025. And he has a club for a hand, resulting in an FBS-leading seven forced fumbles. His Pro Football Focus overall grade for his final season was a whopping 93.0.

The first-team All-American began his career as an offensive "athlete," filling in as quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, or running back, as needed. But a switch to defense led to a storied career, culminating in him finishing fifth in the Heisman voting last year. His 2025 season finished with a load of hardware, including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defender), Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman), Bednarik Award (nation's top defender), and Butkus Award (nation's top LB).

Rodriguez topped his season with three touchdowns. One was a fumble returned for a score, while the other two were from the Red Raiders utilizing him as a quarterback in goal-line situations.

CJ Allen

Allen was a team captain at Georgia, and he embodies the role. As one NFC national scout told NFL Network, "Gets them lined up, is tough, and is a great leader." He was a first-team All-American in 2025 and led the Bulldogs with 88 tackles, including eight for loss. He added 3.5 sacks, four passes defensed, and two forced fumbles.

Allen is still young at 21, leaving for the NFL after only three years at the college level.

Josiah Trotter

Trotter has an NFL bloodline and is following in the footsteps of his dad and brother (Jeremiah Trotter Sr. and Jr.). He began his career at West Virginia before transferring to Missouri for his final season. The 21-year-old is one of the youngest prospects in the class (he just celebrated a birthday) and, as a redshirt sophomore, is still growing into who he is as a player.

In his final year in college football, Trotter accumulated 84 tackles, 2.0 sacks, and 1 pass defensed.

Anthony Hill Jr.

Hill is proof of just how deep the inside linebacker class is in this draft. The Texas defender (6-3, 238 pounds) started 10 games last season, finishing with a team-high three forced fumbles, plus 69 tackles, with seven for loss, 4.0 sacks, two interceptions, and a pass defensed.

In his three years with the Longhorns, Hill accumulated 31.5 tackles for loss, 17.0 sacks, and eight forced fumbles. He has burst that helps him push and affect the pocket even from a middle linebacker position, providing a boost to every part of the front-seven.