Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

2025 NFL mock draft: Panthers hit all the right notes with first 3 picks

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated Apr 20, 2025 6:30 AM ET

There's still time for the class to grow, but the early returns from Dan Morgan's first draft as the Carolina Panthers' general manager are less than ideal. That's especially the case for the early picks, where Xavier Legette looks like a potential bust in the making and Jonathon Brooks will offer nothing until at least 2026.

Three picks in the middle from last year do have some upside - tight end JT Sanders, nickel corner Chau Smith-Wade and linebacker Trevin Wallace all flashed at times in their rookie years - but they also need to show a whole lot more to secure spots as long-term starters.

For this year to go better the Panthers are going to have to nail their first few picks in the draft. With that in mind, a new seven-round mock from Pro Football Network has them hitting all the right notes in Rounnds 1-3. PFN has Carolina hitting the three biggest needs: edge, safety and wide receiver.

Pick No. 8: Georgia OLB Jalon Walker

"Walker is an outlier. But he also has every tool he needs to succeed as a pass-rushing dynamo, a QB spy, and a pre-snap disguiser. He's explosive, bendy and relentless, with high end speed-to-power, and he just might be the X-factor for the Carolina Panthers."

Pick No. 57: Penn State S Kevin Winston Jr.

"Right away, Kevin Winston Jr. is a high-floor run support safety alongside Tre'Von Moehrig with his size, range, and tackling ability, and he has upside as a split-field safety, too.

Pick No. 74: TCU WR Jack Bech

"Jack Bech fits Bryce Young's style well with his short and intermediate-range separation, packaged with reliable hands. With his size, quickness, and savvy he can have a long career."

We can argue over the details - such as Jalon Walker's lack of college production, Winston's ACL tear and the need for a more vertical threat than Bech offers - but there are a lot worse ways to draft than taking highly-ranked prospects at your greatest positions of need. If the Panthers end up pulling off a similar scenario to this one, nobody should really complain. If they hit on at least two of the top three, it'll give them a big leg up in the race with Tampa.

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

More must-reads: