The Carolina Panthers have been predicted to land a fast-rising defensive player in the NFL Draft.
The Carolina Panthers definitely need some more help on the defensive side of the ball, even after splurging on edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency.
But when will the Panthers address their defense in the NFL Draft? Will they take another pass rusher in the first round? Will they focus on the secondary? Or will they go in another direction entirely?
Chad Reuter of NFL.com recently published a seven-round mock draft, and while he has Carolina taking tight end Kenyon Sadiq at No. 19, he has the Panthers pivoting to defense in Round 2.
But it's who Reuter has Carolina selecting with the 51st overall selection that comes as a bit of a surprise: Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton.
Halton is one of the fastest risers in this year's draft and has suddenly emerged as a potential top-five interior defender in what is a class that is rather full of them.
One thing is for sure, though: Halton is not your classic space eater in the trenches.
Gracen Halton. Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images.He stands 6-foot-3 and weighs just 292 pounds, putting him on the lower end for size at the defensive tackle spot.
Halton projects as more of a 3-tech on the professional level due to his lack of size and his potential as a pass rusher. He registered 8.5 sacks over his last couple of years at Oklahoma, most recently finishing with 33 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 2025.
Considering the Panthers had the 20th-ranked run defense in football last season, you would think they would want more of a run stuffer alongside of Derrick Brown (who is a very good run defender himself), but they also need serious help with their pass rush.
Carolina managed just 30 sacks this past year, which ranked toward the bottom of the league. Phillips should help there, but he only had five sacks himself in 2025.
Now, if the Panthers put Halton next to Brown, it could create quite the lethal pass-rushing duo up the middle and could make life easier for Phillips, Nic Scourton and the rest of Carolina's edge rushers.
Halton isn't a huge name and has gained steam relatively recently, but he would certainly comprise an intriguing pick for the Panthers on Day 2.
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