The Carolina Panthers enter the final day of the 2025 NFL Draft with multiple selections across the remaining rounds, seeking to add talent to the roster. General Manager Dan Morgan has actively reshaped the team's draft capital through trades during the event.
Morgan completed a series of transactions earlier in the draft, maneuvering the team's position and accumulating picks. This aligns with the organization's recent history of making draft-day trades.
Following the selection of wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan in the first round, the Panthers hold eight picks beginning tonight. The flexibility gained from trading provides options as the draft progresses through the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds.
Among the players the Panthers could target is Oklahoma safety Billy Bowman Jr. Bowman led the Big 12 with six interceptions in 2023, returning three for touchdowns. Evaluators note his football I Q, movement skills, and competitive urgency make him an intriguing prospect.
Other potential targets at safety include Lathan Ransom from Ohio State and Malachi Moore from Alabama. The team is also evaluating defensive tackles such as Deone Walker of Kentucky and Joshua Farmer from Florida State, along with linebackers like Oklahoma's Danny Stutsman and Oregon's Jeffrey Bassa.
Running back Jarquez Hunter from Auburn, who had a pre-draft visit with the team, could also be an option. The offensive line class offers potential depth additions like center Seth McLaughlin from Ohio State and tackle Carson Vinson from Alabama A&M.
Adding players at various positions through these later rounds could impact the Panthers Depth Chart. New safeties would compete for roles in the secondary, while incoming defensive linemen and linebackers could challenge existing players or provide rotational depth for Ejiro Evero’s defense.
Similarly, drafting offensive linemen could create competition and long-term options, especially given pending contract situations for current starters. A new running back might offer insurance or competition depending on the health and status of others on the roster.
Morgan expressed the team's approach heading into the draft's final day, emphasizing readiness to adapt based on how players fall on the board.
"I have to check the board," Morgan joked after finishing with reporters late Friday, referencing the dynamic nature of the draft process.
