Panthers' NFL draft class earns refreshing take from insider

The Carolina Panthers certainly landed a bunch of super-talented players in the NFL draft, but there were still some who criticized the Panthers for their decision-making.

More specifically, Carolina raised some eyebrows when it selected Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth overall pick, as many feel the Panthers should have addressed their historically bad defense first.

However, ESPN's Kalyn Kahler seems to feel that Carolina knocked it out of the park and has pegged the Panthers' rookie class as the one that will make the biggest impact next season.

"While some criticized them for taking the top receiver Tetairoa McMillan in the first round instead of an edge rusher, they addressed those defensive needs in the second round with Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen," Kahler wrote. "McMillan will boost the development of quarterback Bryce Young, who enters an important season."

People also seem to forget that Carolina really needed to add some weapons for Young, who was relatively thin in terms of reliable playmakers last season.

Now, the Panthers suddenly have a very impressive young receiving corps that includes McMillan, Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. If Legette takes a step forward during his sophomore campaign and Coker builds on what was a pleasantly surprising rookie year, Carolina will suddenly boast a very tantalizing stable of youthful weapons.

And while some wanted the Panthers to take Jalon Walker at No. 8, the fact of the matter remains that Walker is a very raw prospect who would have been a reach at that spot. Meanwhile, McMillan was dominant over his last two collegiate campaigns, racking up 1,402 and 1,319 yards in 2023 and 2024, respectively.