CHARLOTTE, NC — The Carolina Panthers enter the 2026 NFL Draft picking at No. 19, a position earned after a gritty 2025 playoff appearance. While the first-round pick will grab headlines, general manager Dan Morgan knows championships are built in the late rounds. The team faces pressing needs at wide receiver, center, and defensive interior, but finding value in Day 3 could be the difference between a one-and-done postseason run and a deep January surge.
Bryce Young proved his critics wrong by leading Carolina to the playoffs last season. However, the numbers still tell a shaky story. Young holds a 14-30 record as a starter and completed just 21 of 40 passes in the postseason. With 49 touchdowns to 30 interceptions in his career, the Panthers need a “Plan B” with high upside. Enter Taylen Green.
Green set the 2026 NFL Combine on fire. At 6-foot-6 and 227 pounds, he posted a 4.36 40-yard dash and a massive 43.5-inch vertical. He isn’t just a runner; he has a rocket for an arm. While his accuracy remains a project, his raw traits are impossible to ignore. If he slides to the fifth round, Carolina should sprint to the podium. Adding his dual-threat capability to the room provides a dynamic change of pace that this offense currently lacks.
Defense wins in the trenches, but special teams win the field position battle. Bryce Boettcher is the definition of a high-motor prospect. The former walk-on racked up 136 tackles in 2025, playing with a ferocity that jumps off the film. At 6-foot-1 and 233 pounds, he might lack elite size, but he makes up for it with sheer will.
The Panthers hold back-to-back picks at Nos. 158 and 159. Boettcher is the perfect fit for one of those slots. He is a “plug-and-play” special teams ace who can develop into a reliable backup linebacker. You want a guy like Boettcher in your locker room—someone who treats every kickoff like a Super Bowl snap. His ability to diagnose plays quickly and fill gaps with authority makes him a low-risk, high-reward selection for the late rounds.
Carolina’s run game needs more than just a better offensive line; it needs tight ends who can actually block. Nate Boerkircher won’t wow you with 100-yard receiving games, but he will blow up a linebacker on the edge. The Texas A&M product is a 245-pound hammer who relishes the dirty work. He finished 2025 with 19 catches and 3 touchdowns, proving he can be a reliable check-down option when the play breaks down.
Drafting Boerkircher in the sixth round allows the Panthers to use heavy personnel packages more effectively. He is a dependable extra blocker who never takes a play off. In a league where “TE2” is a vital role for offensive continuity, Boerkircher provides veteran-like stability to a young Carolina roster.
“We need guys who are obsessed with the game. Whether it’s the first round or the seventh, we’re looking for players who want to hit someone and win their individual battles. This draft is about finishing what we started last year.”
— Dave Canales, Panthers Head Coach
Carolina’s 2025 season was a step in the right direction, but the roster remains thin. By targeting sleepers like Green, Boettcher, and Boerkircher, the Panthers are addressing the “middle class” of their roster. These aren’t just depth pieces; they are strategic assets designed to protect Bryce Young’s health and bolster a defense that tired out late in games. If Dan Morgan hits on two of these three Day 3 targets, the Panthers won’t just be playoff participants in 2026—they’ll be legitimate contenders in the NFC South.
The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off in four weeks. Watch for the Panthers to move aggressively if their preferred sleepers start to fly off the board earlier than expected.
