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
Last up is interior defensive linemen.
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 boast one of the best interior defensive linemen in the game inDerrick Brown. Everything in that unit can and will be built around him. That started last year by addingBobby Brown IIIin free agency and slotting inTershawn Whartonas well. The club released A'Shawn Robinson this offseason, which Dan Morgan called a business decision, and still has some youth in the room withCam Jackson.
Caleb Banks Florida
The Gators product had a roller coaster of a final year after a foot injury in camp. He tried to play through it, but the injury required surgery in September. Despite Florida facing a losing season, Banks did everything he could to return for the finale versus Florida State, registering three tackles and a fumble recovery. As one AFC Scout told NFL Network, "I have tremendous respect for himthat says something about his character."
He's massive at 6-6, 330 pounds, and showed off a lot of promising moves at the Senior Bowl that will entice teams.
Kayden McDonald Ohio State
McDonald has only one year as a starter under his belt, but he made the most of it with 65 tackles, including nine for loss, with 3.0 sacks, a pass defensed, and two forced fumbles. It led to being named a first-team All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year. He finished with an 86.7 grade from Pro Football Focus for 2025, thanks in large part to his run-stopping ability.
Lee Hunter Texas Tech
Hunter transferred a couple of times, starting at Auburn, spending three years at UCF, before spending his final year at Texas Tech. While with the Red Raiders, he started all 14 games and finished with 41 tackles, with 11 for loss, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. He's 6-3, 318 pounds, but measured a 6-9 wingspan in testing. He's a better fit on run downs since he can eat up space.
Peter Woods Clemson
After a really promising 2024, Woods took a small step back last season in terms of disrupting the game. He still managed to keep his tackles and sacks around the same numbers, though, finishing with 30 tackles and 2.0 sacks in 2025. Woods is a little undersized, at 6-2, 298 pounds, but has shown an ability to punch above his weight class to get to the pocket.
Christen Miller Georgia
Miller is a redshirt junior who started 10 games in 2024 and all 14 games in 2025. He finishes his final year with 23 tackles, including four for loss, and 1.5 sacks. He's good with his hands in blocking schemes, and one NFC scout told NFL Network of the nose tackle, "He's solid and tough, and that's a valuable position, so he probably goes earlier than you think."
