Carolina Panthers: Ranking the Top 10 No. 8 overall selections in NFL draft history

It’s been a rough stretch for a team that hasn’t posted a winning season since 2017. Things are looking up for the Carolina Panthers, who won four of their final nine games after a 1-7 start in 2024. The team has nine picks in this year’s draft, starting with the eighth overall selection. That’s a spot that has been pretty successful over the years for teams, including the Panthers.

A look at the best players drafted with the eighth pick during the common draft era, which began in 1967.

10. 2003: T Jordan Gross (Panthers)

He was a mainstay on the Carolina Panthers’ offensive line for 11 seasons. Former University of Utah standout Jordan Gross played and started a total of 167 regular-season games during his career, meaning he missed only nine contests over that span (7 in 2009). Gross was named to the Pro Bowl three times, and also earned All-Pro honors in 2008. He also played and started nine postseason games for the club, including Super Bowl XXXVIII.

9. 2018: LB Roquan Smith (Bears)

The current defensive force in Baltimore began his pro career in the Windy City. Linebacker Roquan Smith was a standout at the University of Georgia, and has been a tackling machine in the NFL. In seven seasons, including 2022 when he played for the Bears and then the Ravens after a trade, Smith has totaled at least 100 tackles each season. He’s really thrived with John Harbaugh’s club, and has earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors three straight years.

8. 1986: DE Leslie O’Neal (Chargers)

His career has gone somewhat under the radar. The then-San Diego Chargers opted for Oklahoma State defensive end Leslie O’Neal in 1986, and was an immediate hit. He totaled 12.5 sacks during his debut campaign, and earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He missed all of 1987 with a knee injury, but in a 13-year career with the Bolts, Rams, and Chiefs, the six-time Pro Bowler amassed 132.5 sacks, 21 forced fumbles, and 16 fumble recoveries.

7. 2017: RB Christian McCaffrey (Panthers)

A pick by the Panthers makes this list for the second time. Running back Christian McCaffrey is now a member of the San Francisco 49ers, dealt to Kyle Shanahan’s during the 2022 season. He’s coming off a season in which he was limited to four games. The 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year has played in 95 regular-season contests, and has amassed 10,853 yards from scrimmage and 81 touchdowns. McCaffrey earned All-Pro honors in 2019 and ’23.

6. 1975: DT Gary Johnson (Chargers)

The Chargers are on this list for the second time as well. Defensive tackle Gary Johnson was a Grambling State University product and part of some great defensive fronts in San Diego. He teamed with the likes of Hall of Famer Fred Dean, Louie Kelcher, and Wilbur Young. Johnson was a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro with the Chargers. In 11 NFL seasons, he totaled 75.5 sacks. He wound up with the 49ers in 1984 and won a Super Bowl ring.

5. 1993: T Willie Roaf (Saints)

Man-mountain Willie Roaf was a big part (no pun intended) of the New Orleans Saints for nine seasons before being traded to the Chiefs in 2002. The Louisiana Tech product dominated no matter the opposition. Roaf was an 11-time Pro Bowl and four-time All-Pro in 13 combined seasons. The 6’5”, 320-pound performer was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Teams of the 1990s and 2000s. Roaf was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.