CHARLOTTE The 2026 NFL draft is now just weeks away. Teams are updating their big board every day, welcoming in prospects for visits, and evaluating their current rosters every minute of every day. Only a select few in each building know what a club might do when the first round kicks off on April 23 in Pittsburgh. But between now and then, we will take a look at every position on the field and how some might even impact the Carolina Panthers.
Rd. 1, No. 19 overall
Rd. 2, No. 51 overall
Rd. 3, No. 83 overall
Rd. 4, No. 119 overall
Rd. 5, No. 158 overall (from Minnesota)
Rd. 5, No. 159 overall
Rd. 6, No. 200 overall
Next up is wide receiver.
Position previews are an aggregation of the opinions and analyses of various draft websites and mock drafts. These are not rankings of a position, but rather a preview of names projected across all three days of the draft. Analysis by the Panthers editorial staff does not reflect the Panthers football staff and front office.
The Panthers' wide receiver corps took a huge jump last season, thanks in large part to the addition ofTetairoa McMillanand ascension ofJalen Coker. The two found a balance that saw Coker become a huge target in the second half of the season, and McMillan put together a rookie of the year campaign.
Xavier Legettemissed a couple of games with a hamstring injury but still clocked in as the third leading receiver on the team, andBrycen Tremayneproved himself as a valuable first down convertor.
But this is a receiver-heavy draft, and Dan Morgan has never been shy about his willingness to take the best player available. With that in mind, let's look at some of the prospects.
Makai Lemon Southern California
Lemon was the 2025 Bilentnikoff Award winner, annually given to the best receiver in college football that year, and it's not hard to understand why. He is a slot receiver who can carry defenders all over the field. A cerebral approach pairs with strong hands to give him a wide catch radius and 73 percent catch rate. He finished 2025 with 79 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, as well as nine rushes resulting in two more touchdowns. His 11 receiving scores were tied for the ninth most in college football.
Lemon's 16 deep catches in 2025 were tied for fifth-most in FBS. He finished with a 90.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, the highest in the WR class this draft cycle.
Jordyn Tyson Arizona State
A two-time first-team All-Big 12 receiver, Tyson spent his time at Arizona State under receivers coach Hines Ward learning how to polish his route running and play at all three receiver spots. The result was a team leading 61 receptions for 711 yards and eight receiving touchdowns, even while missing four games with hamstring injuries. That part is a concern, since he's had three injury-shortened seasons in college, but both his production on the field and his potential are intriguing.
KC Concepcion Texas A&M
The Charlotte native who started at NC State used his one year at TAMU to skyrocket his draft stock. He was a first-team All-American (all-purpose) and won the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player thanks to his 61 receptions, 919 receiving yards, and nine receiving touchdowns. The Aggies' primary punt returner, he also added two touchdowns there.
Denzel Boston Washington
Boston is a big frame at 6-4, 209 pounds, and he uses it to make contested catches, out-muscle defenders, and give the quarterback a huge target in the red zone. He finished 2025 with 62 receptions for 881 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns, a number tied for ninth-most in FBS. He's not the fastest, but he often makes up for it by being stronger than anyone defending him.
Chris Brazzell II Tennessee
At 6-5, Brazzell is long and lanky with the speed to match (he ran a 4.37 in the 40-yard dash at the combine). He was in the top 20 in college football with 1,017 receiving yards in 2025, coming on 62 receptions and leading to nine touchdowns. He's really only had one year of promising production, but he has all the traits ready to be tapped into.
Skyler Bell UCONN
It's impossible to discuss the top receivers in this year's draft and not talk about Skyler Bell. The first-team All-American was at the top or near the top of every major receiving category in college football this past season. He finished with 101 receptions (fourth), for 1,278 yards (second), and 13 touchdowns (third most). He made his money in college on screen passes, catching 38 total (fifth most amongst receivers) for 257 yards, a mark also in the Top 10.
