Panthers HC Dave Canales Reveals Team’s Draft Plans

The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales recently gave a hint as to what positions he’s looking at. While anything can happen when the big event finally rolls around, Canales is preparing for the most likely options and has a few players on his mind with the 19th-overall pick.

“It could be a wideout. It could be a tight end. Could be a safety,” Canales said, via ESPN’s David Newton. “There’s a couple of dynamic safeties that could free us up. The pass-rush class, we’ve got to still kind of see where they are at the top. Where do we think the top guys are going? Look at the mocks and all that, and see where there might be a little bit of a dropoff there.”

Dave Canales Speaks on Panthers Draft Plans

The tight end Dave Canales is referring to is almost certainly Kenyon Sadiq. The Oregon product has been a popular mock draft selection for the Panthers, and for good reason. Carolina hasn’t had a reliable tight end on the roster since the Greg Olsen days, and Sadiq has the potential to be the team’s unquestioned TE1 for the next decade.

A gifted route runner, Sadiq has elite physical gifts and is polished enough for his game to immediately translate to the NFL level. The Panthers already have two good receivers in Tetairoa McMillan and former undrafted free agent Jalen Coker, and adding Sadiq to the mix should give quarterback Bryce Young all the weapons he needs to succeed.

If the Panthers go for a safety, however, they’ll probably target either Dillon Thieneman or Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Both players are projected as first-round picks and would be welcome additions to a defense that could use more help on the back end. Tre’von Moehrig is a solid starter, but the team could use an upgrade on Nick Scott. The Panthers already have one of the game’s better cornerback duos, and solidifying the safety position could give them a dangerous secondary heading into 2026.