The 2025 NFL draft is officially less than two weeks away, putting a ton of attention on the Carolina Panthers. General manager Dan Morgan will be heading into next week's action with this year's eighth overall selection, marking the Panthers' fifth top-10 pick since the 2020 draft and the first since quarterback Bryce Young was taken at No. 1 in 2023.
With nine total picks for the seven-round event, the Panthers will have plenty of opportunities to add high-potential players to their roster next week. The lead-up to the draft can be overwhelming with so much to take in, which is why this primer is here to help make life easier.
Here's a look at the Panthers' complete 2025 draft pick list, including how they acquired certain selections from other teams.
- Complete List of Panthers 2025 Draft Picks
- What Happened to the Panthers' Original Draft Picks?
- How Did the Panthers Acquire Their Additional Draft Picks?
- Panthers 2025 Draft Needs
Complete List of Panthers 2025 Draft Picks
Round | Pick | Overall | Traded From |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8 | 8 | - |
2 | 25 | 57 | Rams |
3 | 10 | 74 | - |
4 | 9 | 111 | - |
4 | 12 | 114 | Cowboys |
5 | 2 | 140 | Giants |
5 | 8 | 146 | - |
5 | 25 | 163 | Ravens |
7 | 14 | 230 | Cardinals |
What Happened to the Panthers' Original Draft Picks?
After starting with seven selections, the Panthers are only left with four of their original 2025 NFL draft picks: No. 8, No. 74, No. 111, and No. 146.
The Panthers' second-rounder (No. 39) was traded alongside three other picks and wideout DJ Moore to the Chicago Panthers for the 2023 draft's first-overall selection. After spending all that capital to trade up, Carolina used the opening pick to draft Young as the franchise signal-caller going forward.
The Panthers' sixth-round pick (No. 183) was paired with WR Diontae Johnson to acquire a fifth-round pick (No. 163) from the Baltimore Ravens before the 2024 trade deadline. Johnson only played four games for Baltimore, catching a six-yard pass before being waived in December.
As for the seventh-round pick (No. 226), the Panthers parted ways with it when they landed WR/returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette and a conditional seventh-rounder from the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2023 offseason. Smith-Marsette tallied 322 return yards and a touchdown on 37 returns during the following campaign before spending the 2024 season with the New York Giants.
How Did the Panthers Acquire Their Additional Draft Picks?
As for how their outside picks were acquired, the Panthers picked up the No. 57 pick — and two more selections — from the Rams during the 2024 NFL draft. Los Angeles wanted to move up to the No. 39 selection to draft defensive lineman Braden Fiske and was more than willing to pay a hefty price to do so.
The Panthers also picked up the No. 114 selection and a seventh-rounder from the Cowboys in exchange for WR Jonathan Mingo before the 2024 deadline. The former 2023 second-rounder didn't make much of an impact in Dallas, recording only 46 receiving yards without a score on five catches in eight games.
Pick No. 140 was acquired alongside two other draft picks when the Panthers traded linebacker Brian Burns and a 2024 fifth-rounder to the New York Giants last March. Meanwhile, the 230th overall pick made its way to the Panthers when the Arizona Cardinals acquired WR Robbie Chosen back in October 2022.
And, as previously mentioned, the No. 163 pick arrived in the Panthers' possession via the Johnson trade.
Panthers 2025 Draft Needs
When it comes to the Panthers' biggest needs ahead of the 2025 NFL draft, fans and experts often list wide receiver, defensive tackle, and EDGE as the positions needing the most upgrades.
It isn't a secret that the Panthers' WR room isn't special outside of Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker. If Carolina wants to take Young's performance to the next level, it could use its first-round pick on a playmaker like Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan or even wait for someone like Missouri's Luther Burden III on Day 2.
The D-line also can't be ignored after the Panthers finished 2024 with the worst Pro Football Focus run defense grade (37.5). Names like South Carolina's T.J. Sanders is a promising local prospect who could thrive under head coach Dave Canales' leadership.
The Panthers also had the worst pass rush last season, highlighting the importance of improving the D-line's exterior. Carolina fans would love to see Georgia's Jalon Walker taken at No. 8 after recording 6.5 sacks and an 83.6 PFF pass-rush grade. The team could also wait until Day 3 to flesh out the pass rush with prospects like SC's Kyle Kennard or North Carolina's Kaimon Rucker.
Judging by the NFL Mock Draft Database, Walker is the likeliest player to end up with the Panthers at No. 8. The 6-foot-1, 243-pound disruptor recorded 11.5 sacks in 28 games with the Bulldogs across the last two seasons, earning various honors along the way — including the 2024 Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker.
Round 1 of the 2025 NFL draft will begin on Thursday, Apr. 24, live from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI.