The Carolina Panthers entered November with a 1-7 record, seemingly destined to have the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and potentially needing to replace Bryce Young. Carolina then finished the season on a 4-5 stretch, with Young playing well and opening the team up to a variety of options on draft day.
Entering the offseason, the Panthers still have one of the worst rosters in the NFL. Young doesn’t have a reliable receiving corps and Carolina had one of the worst NFL defenses in 2024. While free agency will offer some opportunities to improve the roster, this is a long-term build with glaring needs at multiple spots.
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There will be several intriguing options for the Panthers assuming they stand pat with the 8th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan would add a top pass-catcher for young, in the mold of Drake London. If Carolina wants to improve its defense, defensive tackle Mason Graham, safety Malaki Starks and edge rusher Jalon Walker are all top options. However, there’s another the team seems to want.
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According to Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, the Panthers would “love to end up with” Michigan Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson.
Johnson, age 2021, earned All-American honors as one of the best defensive backs in college football over the last two seasons. The 6-foot-2 defensive back also won Defensive MVP in the 2024 CFP National Championship Game and he was named a Freshman All-American in 2022.
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Interestingly, Johnson has drawn an NFL comparison from Lance Zierlein to Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn. Injuries have been the biggest issue for Horn since entering the league and Johnson is coming off a season-ending turf toe injury in October.
In a best-case scenario, the Panthers could have an excellent cornerback tandem with length and physicality who could improve a passing defense that allowed the highest average QB rating (105.4) and the highest passing touchdown rate (6.6%) last season. If Johnson isn’t available, the Panthers are tentatively expected to draft an edge rusher.
