The Carolina Panthers must find a blue-chip prospect with their first-round pick in 2025.
The Carolina Panthers have one game remaining before attention turns toward their offseason plans. Some fans have been there for weeks, eagerly anticipating what reinforcements will come on board to assist with general manager Dan Morgan’s rebuilding project.
This is a critical recruitment period upcoming for the Panthers. Dave Canales oversaw some genuine growth from his squad over the second half of 2024. However, there is a long way to go and a tremendous amount of hard work ahead before Carolina returns to postseason consideration.
Morgan made no secret of his desire to build through the draft upon accepting a promotion. He wants the Panthers to move forward on sounder footing, avoiding the rash gambles and panic-stricken trades of previous regimes.
There’s a legitimate plan in place and team owner David Tepper is willing to be patient — a luxury that wasn’t afforded to anyone aside from Matt Rhule since he purchased the franchise from Jerry Richardson. But finding the right reinforcements is crucial.
The Panthers are well-stocked on the draft front in 2025. They are projected to have a top-10 selection once again, although it might not be in the opening five picks when one considers their record and the abysmal teams in front of them.
Regardless of where Carolina picks, they must find an immediate difference-maker with its opening choice. That cannot be overstated.
Carolina Panthers select Will Johnson in 2025 NFL mock draft
This was a topic discussed by Dalton Miller from Pro Football Network in his latest mock draft. The analyst projected the Panthers to select cornerback Will Johnson over other available defenders such as Mason Graham and Malaki Starks, which would give Carolina a productive partner for proven stud Jaycee Horn on the opposite boundary.
“The only reason we don’t talk about Will Johnson’s ball skills nearly enough is because [Travis] Hunter is an alien. Yet, when healthy, few outside cornerbacks have Johnson’s ability to play in phase, find the football, and attack it in the air from man coverage the way he can. Johnson’s frame is perfect for the position, and he’s also one of the more intelligent zone defenders we’ve seen over the past half-decade or so. Some have questioned his long speed, just as [Patrick] Surtain’s was questioned coming out of Alabama. But Johnson maintains such impressive positional leverage that he’s rarely forced into recovery mode, which means we don’t often get to see him at full chap. His athletic testing and tracking data will tell a better story.” Dalton Miller, Pro Football Network
Johnson wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize if the Panthers weren’t picking high enough for Travis Hunter. He’s got the size, length, and ball skills typically associated with productive cornerbacks at the next level. Slotting him opposite Horn gives Carolina a prolific long-term partnership that would make things easier for the entire defense.
It’s hard to say what Carolina’s needs will be when the draft rolls around. They will increase or diminish depending on which players are retained or released. One would expect Morgan to be active in free agency, finding established veterans who can transition seamlessly as proven commodities.
That doesn’t detract from the need to find a blue-chip first-rounder with an exceptionally high ceiling. Johnson ticks the boxes in that regard despite things not going well for the Michigan Wolverines overall in 2024.
Horn is an outstanding player who should get rewarded handsomely on his next contract, but he cannot do it alone. Johnson’s presence could provide the Panthers with one of the league’s best cornerback tandems if he meets expectations.
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