CHARLOTTE—The 2026 NFL draft is now just days 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 safety.
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 signed Tre'von Moehrig in free agency last year to be a tone-setter and a physical presence in the back of the secondary, and he was. Moehrig's physical play was one of the big reasons the Panthers improved so much against the run.
Veteran Nick Scott had a quite good year beside him in 2025, with a career-high 109 tackles while starting every game. Scott becomes a target for criticism, but as he says, his job is to "talk and tackle," and he did those jobs well. That communication is key in the middle of the defense, and he does it well.
They drafted Lathan Ransom last year, and he grew into more of a role as the year went on, and had a key pick against the Buccaneers. But they'd also like to continue to add young talent there. Only Moehrig and Ransom are under contract past this year, so a young one for Scott to teach would be a reasonable investment.
Caleb Downs — Ohio State
Comes from a football family (dad Gary was an NC State RB who played in the league, and brother Josh is a Colts WR), and has three years of starting experience in big situations. Eager to step up in run support and walks in the door as a leader.
Dillon Thieneman — Oregon
He can move all around the secondary and has made plenty of plays, with 306 tackles and eight interceptions in three years. He also brings serious speed to the deep middle (4.35 40-yard dash).
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren — Toledo
Long and rangy, he has the ability to make plays across the middle and is eager to come up to support the run. Isn't the fastest (4.52) but has made plenty of plays (two interceptions, three forced fumbles, 5.5 tackles for loss).
AJ Haulcy — LSU
Had five interceptions for Houston in 2024, and continued to make plays after transferring to the SEC, with three picks. Instinctive and gets to the ball, and has 12 pass breakups to go along with the eight picks the last two years.
Kamari Ramsey — Southern Cal
Played all across the secondary and lined up at nickel last year, making him a versatile matchup piece. But he's missed some time with injuries, which could hurt his draft stock.
Check out some of our favorite photos of safety Tre'von Moehrig throughout the 2025 season.
The Carolina Panthers take on the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sep. 7, 2025, at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Alex Herko//Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers depart to play the Arizona Cardinals Saturday, Sep. 13, 2025 in Charlotte, NC
The Carolina Panthers face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025 in Charlotte, NC at Bank of America Stadium.(Photo by Alex Herko//Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers face the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025 in Charlotte, NC at Bank of America Stadium.
The Carolina Panthers take on the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 12, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Lester Barnes/Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers depart to face the New York Jets on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the New York Jets on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
The Carolina Panthers face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 in Charlotte, NC at Bank of America Stadium. (Photo by Cassie Baker//Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 in Charlotte, NC at Bank of America Stadium. (Photo by Cassie Baker//Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 in Charlotte, NC at Bank of America Stadium. (Photo by Lester Barnes/Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers hold practice on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025 in Charlotte, NC at Bank of America Stadium. (Photo by Cassie Baker//Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers departure to play the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI.
The Carolina Panthers face the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI.
The Carolina Panthers face the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI.
The Carolina Panthers face the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI.
The Carolina Panthers face the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025 at Bank Of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers take on the New Orleans on November 9, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Lester Barnes / Carolina Panthers)
The Carolina Panthers take on the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 9, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
The Carolina Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
The Carolina Panthers face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.
The Carolina Panthers face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.
The Carolina Panthers hold practice on Thursday, Sep. 4, 2025 at Bank Of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.
