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.

The Panthers currently have seven picks:

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 in our preview series is the offensive line.

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' offensive line is in a transitional phase, between the stability they've enjoyed in recent years and the need to plan for the future. The plan was for four of the five starters to return, but that was complicated when Ikem Ekwonu suffered a torn patellar tendon in the playoff loss, which leaves his timeline up in the air. They signed former Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker to a one-year deal for insurance there, after the retirement of veteran backup Yosh Nijman. In the middle, they signed former Jaguars and Saints center Luke Fortner to a one-year deal, and coach Dave Canales has promised competition there.

Beyond that, right guard Robert Hunt turns 30 in the preseason, left guard Damien Lewis just turned 29, and right tackle Taylor Moton's contract runs through 2027, but he'll turn 32 during training camp. So layering in players for the future and adding depth is key after Cade Mays and Austin Corbett left in free agency and Brady Christensen remains unsigned as he recovers from a torn Achilles.

T Francis Mauigoa — Miami

Three-year starter and team captain for the Hurricanes (that sounds a little like a certain general manager we know), who has a guard's frame and a tackle's feet. He's likely a top 10 pick and out of the Panthers' range, but he's an intriguing player who some think could eventually play inside.

T Monroe Freeling — Georgia

Freeling got everyone's attention at the combine by running a 4.93-second 40 and posting a 33.5-inch vertical and a 9-7 broad jump at 6-7 and 315 pounds. That kind of through-the-roof testing has to be balanced with the fact that he was a one-year starter, but his size and ability make him an intriguing prospect.

G Olaivavega Ioane — Penn State

A lot of people hesitate to take guards in the first round, but Ioane is a rare prospect. He's an excellent run blocker and can create lanes inside, much in the way the Panthers' current guards do. This would seemingly be a luxury pick, but one with long-term potential.

T Blake Miller — Clemson

The Panthers have famously never drafted a player from Clemson, but Miller projects in that late-first-round area where they're picking. He's athletic (32-inch vertical and 9-foot-5 broad jump at 6-7 and 317 pounds) and durable (54 starts at right tackle for the Tigers, and hung around to play in a bowl game when all prospects don't).

C Logan Jones — Iowa

It's hard to go wrong with Iowa offensive linemen, and Jones is among a crop of middle-round players who could come into play for the Panthers. He's a little undersized, but when you think about dropping someone between Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, that's less of a big deal. He's also turning 25 during his rookie season, but plays with high effort and athleticism.