The Carolina Panthers outperformed expectations in a big way last season, winning the NFC South after a 5-12 campaign in 2024. After losing 34-31 to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round, though, the question becomes, who are the Panthers' 2026 NFL Draft targets who can help keep the momentum going?
Carolina crushed the top of the draft last offseason, taking Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate Tetairoa McMillan in Round 1 and promising edge rusher Nic Scourton in Round 2. Now they must build on that success to add difference-makers and fill holes on the roster.
To do that, the Panthers must look at more pass rushers, off-ball linebackers, and maybe even another offensive playmaker in the 2026 NFL Draft. With those positions in mind, here are the Panthers' top 3 NFL Draft targets after their crushing playoff loss.
Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
In the ClutchPoints' 2026 NFL Mock Draft 1.0, Texas A&M pass rusher Cashius Howell is the pick.
Nic Sourton did have an excellent rookie campaign, co-leading the team in sacks with Derrick Brown. However, they both only had 5.0 sacks on the season, which isn't great. After those two, safety Tre'Von Moehrig was in third place with 3.0. That's not a good sign.
Overall, the team finished T-28 in the NFL with just 30 total sacks and 31st in pressure rate. Despite a young, emerging pass rusher and a talented interior defensive line, the Panthers obviously need help getting after the quarterback.
Enter Cashius Howell, who played behind Scourton for the Aggies in 2024. Even with two first-round picks (Scourton and Shemar Stewart) ahead of him, Howell still managed 4.0 sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss. With that duo out of the way in 2025, though, Howell had a breakout season, and 11.5 sacks and 14.0 TFLs later, he's a first-round prospect himself.
While Howell is on the smaller side (6-foot-4, 245 pounds) of the edge rushing class, he may be the best pure pass rusher available this year. And with all the beef up front in Carolina, adding a speed rusher like Howell could be just what they need.
Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
When the Panthers have had their best teams over the years, they've always had elite off-ball linebackers. From Sam Mills to Dan Morgan to Jon Beason to Luke Kuechly, LB has always been a Carolina strong suit. Now, Sonny Styles could be the next player in that line.
The Ohio State linebacker is a converted safety with coverage skills uncommon to a 6-foot-4, 235-pound player. And while he can cover like a defensive back, Styles also tackles. better than anyone in college football right now. Over the last two seasons, he's put up 185 tackles with 17 of those for a loss.
In today's NFL, a traditional off-ball linebacker isn't as valuable as they used to be. That said, Styles is a perfect prototype of a modern LB who can cover with the best of them and still get tackles in the run game. Behind the Panthers' defensive line, he will be a defensive playmaker who offenses will have to game-plan for.
Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Going with defense makes the most sense for the Panthers in the 2026 NFL Draft, but if they want to target offense, a playmaking tight end would help the offense along as well. The issue is, there is only one first-round TE in this class, so Carolina will have to hope Oregion's Kenyon Sadiq falls to No. 19.
If he does, Bryce Young will have yet another big, strong weapon to throw to who can complement McMillan, Jalen Coker, and Xavier Legette.
Ja'Tavion Sanders was having a solid season before breaking his ankle in Week 17, but with more and more teams using two and three-tight end formations, adding another playmaker at that position would give Davee Canales even more options on that side of the ball.
Sadiq can do it all. He is fast, strong, can block, and has good hands. He'll need to add some strength to become an elite TE blocker at the next level, but everything else is already there.
