One of the most well-respected NFL draft analysts went into “beast mode” for the Carolina Panthers.
The Athletic‘s Dane Brugler has just gone through all of this year’s 257 picks for a new seven-round mock draft, which was released on Wednesday. Nine of those 257 selections belong to the Panthers, a haul that begins with (you guessed it) University of Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker.
Brugler writes:
A hybrid player, Walker is at his best as a joker edge who can be flexed around the front seven and give a blocking scheme fits. There is certainly risk involved with his projection, but it isn’t hard to see why so many teams have Walker — who discovered his love for football about a half-hour north of Charlotte, N.C. — ranked so highly.
This certainly isn’t the first, nor will it be the last time you’ll see Walker projected to the Panthers. The first-team All-American and Butkus Award winner led the Bulldogs with 6.5 sacks in 2024, and could add some much-needed juice and direction to a defense that ranked last in pressure rate (16.2 percent) this past season.
Brugler then keeps it on the defensive side of the ball for two of Carolina’s next three picks, taking South Carolina lineman T.J. Sanders at No. 57 (second round) and Oklahoma safety Billy Bowman Jr. at No. 111 (fourth round). Sanders would provide depth to a revamped front that now includes free-agent signees Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III while Bowman Jr.’s ball skills, as evidenced by his 11 interceptions since 2022, may make him an immediate contributor in the secondary.
Sandwiched between those two defenders at Pick No. 74 (third round) is Texas Christian University wideout Jack Bech. The 6-foot-1, 214-pounder, who could help elevate the Panthers’ receiver room, wrapped up his final collegiate campaign with 62 receptions for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns.
Here’s how the remainder of the mock panned out for the Panthers:
- Fourth round (No. 114): Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech
- Fifth round (No. 140): Demetrius Knight Jr., LB, South Carolina
- Fifth round (No. 146): Caleb Rogers, G, Texas Tech
- Fifth round (No. 163): Jarquez Hunter, RB, Auburn
- Seventh round (No. 230): Maxen Hook, S, Toledo
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL draft: Breaking down Dane Brugler’s 7-round mock for the Panthers
One of the most well-respected NFL draft analysts went into “beast mode” for the Carolina Panthers.
The Athletic‘s Dane Brugler has just gone through all of this year’s 257 picks for a new seven-round mock draft, which was released on Wednesday. Nine of those 257 selections belong to the Panthers, a haul that begins with (you guessed it) University of Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker.
Brugler writes:
A hybrid player, Walker is at his best as a joker edge who can be flexed around the front seven and give a blocking scheme fits. There is certainly risk involved with his projection, but it isn’t hard to see why so many teams have Walker — who discovered his love for football about a half-hour north of Charlotte, N.C. — ranked so highly.
This certainly isn’t the first, nor will it be the last time you’ll see Walker projected to the Panthers. The first-team All-American and Butkus Award winner led the Bulldogs with 6.5 sacks in 2024, and could add some much-needed juice and direction to a defense that ranked last in pressure rate (16.2 percent) this past season.
Brugler then keeps it on the defensive side of the ball for two of Carolina’s next three picks, taking South Carolina lineman T.J. Sanders at No. 57 (second round) and Oklahoma safety Billy Bowman Jr. at No. 111 (fourth round). Sanders would provide depth to a revamped front that now includes free-agent signees Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III while Bowman Jr.’s ball skills, as evidenced by his 11 interceptions since 2022, may make him an immediate contributor in the secondary.
Sandwiched between those two defenders at Pick No. 74 (third round) is Texas Christian University wideout Jack Bech. The 6-foot-1, 214-pounder, who could help elevate the Panthers’ receiver room, wrapped up his final collegiate campaign with 62 receptions for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns.
Here’s how the remainder of the mock panned out for the Panthers:
- Fourth round (No. 114): Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech
- Fifth round (No. 140): Demetrius Knight Jr., LB, South Carolina
- Fifth round (No. 146): Caleb Rogers, G, Texas Tech
- Fifth round (No. 163): Jarquez Hunter, RB, Auburn
- Seventh round (No. 230): Maxen Hook, S, Toledo
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL draft: Breaking down Dane Brugler’s 7-round mock for the Panthers
