Pro Football Focus: 2026 NFL Draft: The ideal haul for every team in the first three rounds

[TheSpecialJuan]

Carolina Panthers: EDGE Akheem Mesidor, LB Jake Golday, C Jake Slaughter

The Panthers made the playoffs for the first time since 2017, but their defense needs major retooling at several levels. Carolina slotted 30^th in pass-rush win rate at edge defender last year, and while Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen flashed, the team could use an instant-impact starter like Mesidor (92.5 PFF pass-rush grade). Further, Golday (82.4 overall PFF grade) could develop into a multi-year starter for a linebacker unit seeking growth.

The Panthers don’t face many key free-agent losses, but the team could be in demand for interior offensive line with both Austin Corbett and Cade Mays hitting the market. Slaughter earned a 79.3 overall PFF grade or better in both of the last two years, and his 86.0 PFF zone-blocking grade would align with Dave Canales’ offense

[TheSpecialJuan]

https://www.pff.com/news/2026-nfl-draft-the-ideal-haul-for-every-team-in-the-first-three-rounds

[strato]

Mesidor makes a little sense given that Dan will be real familiar with him, apparently he still follows Miami pretty closely. 

That looks good if Icky’s injury never happened. I don’t know what it looks like now. We just need too much. 

Edited 1 hour ago by strato

[csx]

We dont have a LT or a C. Im not sure why this is overlooked.. referring to their statement about interior OL