All things considered, the Carolina Panthers have done well for themselves when picking in the top 10 of the NFL draft. In their last few gos near the top of the board, they've landed the likes of running back Christian McCaffrey, defensive lineman Derrick Brown, cornerback Jaycee Horn, quarterback Bryce Young and wideout Tetairoa McMillan.

This year, however, is a little different. Thanks to a glow-up campaign in 2025, your reigning NFC South champions are picking at No. 19.

That will make things more challenging for Carolina's front office, but they're not sweating it. Here's what executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis told Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer about it:

"We're not sitting there at 19 saying like, 'Damn, I wish we were picking at eight,' we're sitting there at 19 saying, 'We're gonna get a good player at 19, and he's gonna help us."

A brief look at the recent history of the 19th overall pick tells you that there is value to be had. Last spring, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers landed receiver Emeka Egbuka out of Ohio State and he made an instant impact as a rookie—totaling 938 yards and six touchdowns. In 2024, the Los Angeles Rams grabbed pass rusher Jared Verse at this spot—and he's already made two Pro Bowls.

However, there have also been plenty of misses at No. 19 overall—including one of Carolina's all-time draft busts in offensive tackle Jeff Otah. So there are no guarantees that the Panthers will get it right.

Some of the favorites for that 19th pick include wide receiver Kevin "KC" Concepcion, tight end Kenyon Sadiq and safety Dillon Thieneman.

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Panthers believe they'll land impact player at Pick 19