Ranking the Panthers' Last 10 First-Round Picks, Worst to Best

4. WR DJ Moore (2018)

It's a shame that DJ Moore became part of the trade to acquire Bryce Young, because he would have been the perfect WR to pair with a rookie QB. He was only with the Panthers for five years, compiling three separate seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards.

In five seasons, Moore had 364 catches for 5,201 yards and 21 TDs. He posted a career-high 1,364 receiving yards in his first year with the Bears and looks like a foundational piece of Chicago's offense moving forward.

No matter how you look at it, drafting Moore was a slam-dunk pick at No. 24 overall in 2018. Even if Young doesn't work out long-term, Moore still helped put the franchise in a position to draft a QB with the first pick.

Even if it stings for Carolina right now, last year's results don't take away from how savvy the original selection was.

3. DT Derrick Brown (2020)

The recently re-signed Derrick Brown looks like a cornerstone of the Panthers' new-look defense and one of the best young defensive tackles in the NFL. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2023, finishing with a career-high 103 tackles, six deflected passes and two sacks.

Taken with the No. 7 pick in the 2020 draft, the former Auburn star looks like he'll be a foundational piece of the team for at least the next half-decade after this extension. For a franchise in desperate need of continuity, keeping Brown represents a huge win.

Brown clogs up the middle of the defense and makes his teammates' jobs easier. He's getting better, and now has the opportunity to step in as a true leader with the Panthers trying to get back into contention.

If Carolina takes a step forward in 2024 and beyond, Brown will be a huge reason why.