At his NFL Scouting Combine media sessions, Panthers general manager Dan Morgan laid out the weak positions and the areas of need on the Carolina defense. Morgan said almost every position on the defense was a need as the Panthers struggled to prevent yardage and points throughout the 2024 season. Perhaps the highest priority to address is the pass rush. Carolina chose to trade veteran Brian Burns rather than pay him, and the edge rush was a problem all year. In speaking to team sources, Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams and Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart are both in the running to be their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
While Stewart only had 1.5 sacks in each of the past three seasons, he was disruptive and forced the quarterback to move off his mark. The 6-foo-5, 267-pounder is excellent in size, showed his superb speed in the combined 40 with a 4.59 time, and showed explosiveness in the jumps. Williams had more production in college but did not produce in a prolific fashion. Williams has good size and is viewed by multiple sources as a safe pick to become a good starter.
While sources say these two prospects are potential candidates for Carolina, they also could consider other positions. There is excellent defensive line depth, so they could target another need that Morgan identified, like a cornerback, in the first round and then land a quality defensive lineman in the second. Morgan also mentioned outside linebacker as a need, so that could be a consideration. I have the Panthers taking one of these edge rushers in my latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft, and Williams and Stewart are in play for the ninth overall pick, according to team sources.
