The Carolina Panthers' 2026 NFL Draft has officially come and gone, and the buzz is still electric. In fact, this week's fan mailbag was absolutely flooded—more than we've seen in years. While we're now entering the slower part of the offseason, the excitement surrounding this draft class hasn't cooled off one bit. Let's jump straight into your questions!
Highmiles asks: "I was hoping for a BPA (Best Player Available) draft, and by all accounts, this was it. From what I've read, with one exception, everyone we picked was ranked higher than where we selected them. Of course, we won't know the true value for about two years. My question is: will anyone be a starter from day one, and how many will earn a starting role before the end of the season?"
Great question. I think defensive tackle Lee Hunter is the safest bet to be a "starter" from Day 1—though keep in mind, Carolina rotates its D-line heavily. Still, expect him to be right at the top of that rotation alongside Derrick Brown. He should be a key piece of the defensive line immediately.
As for players who might earn a starting spot by season's end, keep an eye on Monroe Freeling. He came in with a bit of a development tag, so I'm hesitant to call him a Day 1 starter, but he likely won't be riding the bench for long. Center Sam Hecht is another one—I think he'll eventually take over at center, just not right away. And while I fully expect safety Nick Scott to start all 17 games, Zakee Wheatley is in prime position to prove me wrong and steal that spot.
Coach_K asks: "Who will be our backup QB at the start of the season?"
Kenny Pickett. It would take an absolutely incredible training camp and preseason from Haynes King to leapfrog him for the QB2 role. As for Will Grier, I just don't see him being anything more than the third emergency quarterback.
Dcangio09 asks: "What was your favorite draft pick and why? Conversely, what was your least favorite and why?"
My favorite pick has to be Zakee Wheatley from Penn State. I'm honestly shocked Carolina landed a player with a true free safety skillset at pick No. 151. That's the kind of value that can define a draft class. As for least favorite? I'd need to see how the rest of the roster shakes out, but every pick this year came with serious upside—so I'm leaning optimistic for now.