After taking wideouts in the first round of the last two drafts, the Carolina Panthers reverted to boring mode this year.
Instead of targeting the draft's second-ranked safety Dillon Thieneman or a host of receivers that could have served as a lethal No. 2 behind Tetairoa McMillan, general manager Dan Morgan decided to make sure the offensive line he's built up doesn't fall to pieces. So, he grabbed University of Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling with the 19th overall selection of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Despite the less-than-thrilling nature of going with a lineman, those in the know have quite the praise for Freeling's game. Here's what former University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban had to say about the pick, per On3:
“I do think Monroe Freeling is wired the right way... This guy’s a good athlete. Plays left tackle, can pass block. Struggled at times when he had the smaller guys coming off the edge on him, but he’s got great size, can run block. He’s got some power. I think this guy will play for a long time in the league. You can make an argument that he’s as good as any of these offensive linemen. I really like the guy.”
"Good athlete" is underselling it just a bit, though. Not only is Freeling a massive physical specimen at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, but he's also got an elite athletic profile. He came in with a 9.99 Realtive Atheltic Score, which ranks second out of over 1,500 offensive tackles drafted going back to 1987.
On the field, that should translate into a real weapon at the second level to help boost Carolina's run game—and Freeling is refined enough to hold his own in pass protection already. For his efforts in 2025, Freeling earned an 85.6 pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, finishing 10th at his position in the nation. His 71.4 overall grade ranked 81st out of over 600 tackles.
While Panthers fans might be feeling a little deflated right now, Freeling is exactly the kind of pick that helps keep teams competitive in the long run.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Nick Saban praises new Panthers OT Monroe Freeling