The Carolina Panthers have the 19th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Who should they select?
The Carolina Panthers have been linked to an Ohio State player in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Panthers, who have the 19th overall pick in the 2026 draft, have been projected to take Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald by NFL draft writers Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman of The Athletic.
"A massive interior defender with both one- and two-gap capabilities, McDonald is an elite run stopper who also would help the Panthers' pass rush, which finished tied for 28th in production this season. McDonald isn't necessarily a pass rusher himself, per se, but his presence would allow others to find openings."
McDonald had 31 solo tackles, nine tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks for Ohio State this season. He was a consensus All-American.
The Panthers made the playoffs this season for the first time since the 2017 campaign. They need help on defense, as Carolina finished tied for 28th in the NFL in pass rush. The Panthers lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card game at home, losing by a final score of 34-31.
Carolina had 30 total sacks this season. That was 28th in the NFL. And their 58 QB hits was 30th. So it's clear that the Panthers need help on the defensive line.
The Panthers were 15th in the league in points per game allowed. They gave up 22.4 points per contest. Those numbers could be lower if the interior linemen can get more pressure on the QB and either get more sacks or force more errant throws, leading to more interceptions.
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