NFL analyst says the Panthers have one main option at defensive tackle in the draft. Several of the latest mock drafts have Mason Graham going seventh overall to the New York Jets

In his first mock draft of the offseason, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein went out on a limb with the Panthers’ first-round pick.

The Panthers have nine picks, including the eighth overall selection. The Panthers have held the No. 8 pick four times previously — more than any other first-round spot — and used it on Tim Biakabutuka, Jordan Gross, Christian McCaffrey and Jaycee Horn.

STANFORD, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 30: Jack Bech #18 of the TCU Horned Frogs holds off Scotty Edwards #21 of the Stanford Cardinal in the third quarter at Stanford Stadium on August 30, 2024 in Stanford, California. / (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers are in the middle of the evaluation phase of the 2025 NFL Draft. Following a chat with GM Dan Morgan in Texas, Panthers beat writer Mike Kaye projects the top 10 picks, including Carolina’s eighth overall selection.

College football's best took their respective fields for a couple of all-star outings of their own, with the Shrine Bowl having gone down on Thursday and the Senior Bowl on Saturday. And with many of those prospects headed for the 2025 NFL draft,

The Panthers have some pieces on the back end of their defense - specifically two and a half solid cornerbacks in Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson and (possibly) Chau Smith-Wade. However, the rest of the position groups all need major overhauls.