NFL Mocks Have Panthers Drafting Oregon Duck in First Round; Is It The Right One?

Dillon Thieneman meets with the media at the 2026 NFL Combine. Clark Wade/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NFL Mocks Have Panthers Drafting Oregon Duck in First Round; Is It The Right One?

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Russell Baxter | Last updated Apr 18, 2026 6:00 AM ET

There’s less than a week remaining before the league holds its latest annual selection meeting, also known as the NFL draft. There have been months of speculation and guessing, aka mock drafts.

When it comes to the Carolina Panthers and what analysts have discussed and predicted over the last few months in terms of their first-round pick, the focus has gone from edge and tackle, to tight end and safety.

This offseason, general manager Dan Morgan inked pass-rusher Jaelan Phillips, late of the Philadelphia Eagles, to a four-year deal. He then added former Green Bay Packers’ left tackle Rasheed Walker to an economical one-year contract.

Lately, there’s been more talk about the need at safety, and whether a talented tight end could fall into Morgan’s lap with the 19th overall pick.

What will the Carolina Panthers do with the 19th overall selection?

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Here is a sample of six predictions by NFL analysts when it comes to the Panthers’ first-round selection. Four of the six writers have Carolina leaning safety, with three opting for a fast-rising University of Oregon defender. All told, only one analyst has Dave Canales’s club not taking a prospect from Eugene. Intriguing indeed.

Adam Rank, NFL.com: S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

Josh Edwards, CBS Sports: Dillon Thieneman

Mike Band, NFL Network, TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Dane Brugler, The Athletic: Dillon Thieneman

Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN, S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

Brad Gagnon, Bleacher Report: Kenyon Sadiq

S Dillon Thieneman would be a huge addition to the Carolina defense

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Brugler is one of the three analysts that likes the former Oregon defensive back. “As Carolina continues to build its defense, Thieneman has the versatility that will speak to general manager Dan Morgan and the Panthers coaches. He would upgrade both the coverage and run defense from day one.”

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On the other hand, B/R’s Gagnon favors Thieneman’s teammate, who comes off a season in which he totaled 51 catches for 560 yards and eight touchdowns. “This is about building more around Bryce Young,” explained Gagnon, “with the line generally shored up and the receiver position relatively stable. The Panthers have a void at tight end, and Sadiq is a mid-first-round talent who can do anything you want at that position.”

Panthers still have big needs despite winning the NFC South in 2025

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The 8-9 Panthers are coming off their first playoff campaign since 2017, and that also still happens to the last time the team finished with a winning record. Carolina certainly made some strides in Canales’s second campaign, but the reigning NFC South champions also finished 2025 (including playoffs) on a three-game losing streak.

So do the Panthers opt for defense in the first round for the first time since selecting cornerback Jaycee Horn in 2021? Or will Morgan opt for Sadiq, marking the first time the franchise has ever chosen a tight end in the first round?

To quote the Willie Wonka: “The suspense is terrible...I hope it'll last.”

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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