5 insights from NFL Draft discussion with Carolina Panthers’ general manager
In his annual press conference ahead of the NFL Draft, Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan stuck to a refrain he’s been singing for three years now:
Anything can happen.
Particularly in the first round.
Morgan shared this sentiment in some way, shape or form in each of his answers — whether they be about this year’s class of wide receivers, tight ends, offensive tackles, quarterbacks or just his general draft strategy. It served him well in 2025; very few predicted the Panthers would spend a second-consecutive first-round pick on a wideout in Tetairoa McMillan, but they did, and they reaped some major benefits from the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year’s season.
Will it serve Morgan well in 2026?
The general manager with command of the No. 19 pick in the draft thinks so.
“I think it’s a little different picking on the back-half of the first round,” Morgan said when asked to compare this draft to 2025, when the team had the No. 8 overall pick. “But it’s really no different in terms of the process. We’re going to be ready for any and all scenarios. You don’t know what guy’s gonna fall.”
Here are five takeaways from Morgan’s pre-draft chat with local media on Tuesday at Bank of America Stadium.
Wide receivers: ‘I wouldn’t hesitate’
The Panthers, in their 31-year history in the NFL Draft, have never used first-round picks to take a wide receiver in three consecutive years. That could happen this year, however, as experts across the NFL have said for months — and Morgan did not shy away from that reality Tuesday.
“With anything, we’re going to take the best player,” Morgan said. “So if the best player we feel at 19 (is a receiver), I wouldn’t hesitate to draft another wideout. I don’t think there’s a rule that you can’t draft a wide receiver three years in a row. So I’m not going to box us in.”
The logic behind taking a wide receiver is reasonable. First up, this year’s wide receiver class is talented and deep. Many mock drafts have four to five wide receivers going in the first round — a mix of Makai Lemon out of Southern Cal, Charlotte native KC Concepcion out of Texas A&M, Jordyn Tyson out of Arizona State, Carnell Tate out of Ohio State, among others.
Secondly, the Panthers could use another playmaker, particularly a deep threat that could stretch the field for an offense that at times struggled to find explosive plays in 2025. Add on top of this, there’s the fact that 2026 is a massive year for quarterback Bryce Young — whose future in Carolina very much depends on how the next two seasons go. (The Panthers stated they’d pick up their QB’s fifth-year option in January; this keeps Young in Charlotte through 2027.)
Morgan didn’t fully embrace such a line of reasoning, though.
“In terms of playmakers, of course we want to always add as many playmakers as we can on both sides of the ball, not just a receiver,” Morgan said.
Tight end: Dan Morgan likes this class
If it’s not a wide receiver, could a tight end serve as a playmaker for Young? Yes, Morgan said. He thinks highly of this year’s tight end draft class — a group headlined by Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq and Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers.
“I think there are a couple guys there who are talented,” Morgan said. “I do think there is some depth in the later rounds as well. Again, if they’re the best player at a certain point, we wouldn’t hesitate.”
Then again, he added: “I feel really good about our tight end room. ... At every position, we’re just looking for guys who fit what we do schematically and fit with our culture.”
Could the Panthers draft an offensive tackle at pick No. 19?
Like every offseason, Morgan and his associates made it out to pro days across the country. Offensive line coach Joe Gilbert was no exception. Gilbert, in fact, was spotted leading drills at the pro day put on by Clemson — home of late-first-round projection and offensive tackle Blake Miller.
Taking a tackle on Day 1 or Day 2 of the draft could serve multiple purposes. It could serve as an immediate need. After all, left tackle Ickey Ekwonu ruptured his patellar tendon and is expected to miss some time in 2026. It could also serve as a long-term succession plan, too — with 31-year-old Taylor Moton still holding down the right side of the line.
“We send position coaches, not just Joe Gilbert, to different pro days,” Morgan said. “So it’s not like, ‘Hey, we’re going here to see these offensive linemen; we’re taking an offensive lineman at 19 or 51.’ ... The big thing is, we want to get to know these guys as much as possible. As much exposure we can have — whether it’s a tackle, whether it’s an EDGE rusher, a linebacker, we want to get close to these guys.”
Strategy of bringing in QBs
The Panthers have brought in quarterbacks, including Georgia Tech’s Haynes King and Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, for pre-draft visits. Morgan said the strategy there might be more to evaluate their injury history — and less because the team is looking to draft them on Day 3 (though Morgan didn’t rule that out).
“I think bringing those guys in, and bringing any guy on a 30 visit,” Morgan said, “it could be for medical (due diligence), it could be because we want to get to know them a little better. We want to see how smart they are, if they can handle a big playbook and be able to retain. So there are different reasons why we bring them in for 30 visits.”
How much does age and injury history play a part in the Panthers’ draft evaluation?
Morgan opened up a bit on his broader draft philosophy Tuesday — particularly how age and injury history play in his enthusiasm to draft a player.
One playmaker who comes to mind is Akheem Mesidor, a 25-year-old EDGE rusher out of Miami. Another is Jermod McCoy, a cornerback out of Tennessee who missed all of 2025 after sustaining an ACL tear more than a year ago (McCoy also had a 30 visit with the Panthers).
“You definitely have to weigh it,” Morgan said. “I think it’s definitely part of the evaluation process. But I also don’t think it’s everything, and I don’t think it takes a guy out of the running because maybe he’s 25 or 26 years old. So it’s definitely something we weigh in, but it’s definitely not everything.”
Quick hits
- Morgan said that he didn’t know off the top of his head who would be available for organized team activities (OTAs) next month. Though he did admit that Ekwonu wouldn’t be ready, as expected. Morgan also confirmed that tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, whose season ended after a broken ankle last season, looks great and will be ready to go.
- The Panthers haven’t yet procedurally picked up Young’s fifth-year option, but Morgan confirmed the team will do it before the May 1 deadline.
- Would the Panthers be more inclined to trade up or down in the first round of the draft? “Philosophically, we have an open mindset,” Morgan said. “We’re open to anything.”
This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 1:26 PM with the headline "5 insights from NFL Draft discussion with Carolina Panthers’ general manager."
