With the 2025 NFL season slowly coming to a close, the Carolina Panthers and general manager Dan Morgan will now enter the offseason with a chance to make plenty of improvements to the current roster.

After finishing the regular season with an 8-9 record, the organization's efforts landed them a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Unfortunately for the Panthers, their magical run this past year was cut short by the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card round, resulting in the team receiving the No. 19 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

While Carolina’s playoff run gave hope and promise to the struggling fanbase, the franchise now stands in a less-than-ideal spot for the upcoming draft. One of the primary needs for the Panthers heading into the offseason is to address the defensive line, which lacked true pass rushers. This becomes a major problem for Morgan, as his team will likely be out of range for some of the top EDGE prospects in this year’s class.

Luckily, Carolina’s solution to the weak defensive line could lie within the second round of the draft in Texas Tech star defensive end Romello Height.

Height has had one of the most interesting college careers and is truly a product of college football’s new era in the transfer portal. After starting off his time in college with the Auburn Tigers, the stout defensive end made a name for himself with the USC Trojans back in 2023, recording 20 tackles, six tackles for losses, and four sacks.

Following his two seasons with the Trojans, Height would enter the portal twice before truly settling down with the Red Raiders, making a quick pit stop with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in 2024. It wasn’t until this season with Texas Tech that he popped on the radar of NFL scouts, as he ended his final college season with 38 tackles, 11 tackles for losses, 10 sacks, and two forced fumbles.

At 6-foot-3, 240 lbs., Height has a shockingly rare blend of power and speed despite his small frame. This allows him to beat opposing offensive tackles in multiple different ways off the line of scrimmage, which makes him a perfect complementary piece to 2025 second-round pick Nic Scourton.

There are, however, some downsides to Height that will likely cause him to slip all the way to the second round.

For starters, the six seasons he spent in college could affect his stock. While this can be viewed as a great way to gain experience, Height enters the draft at the age of 25. His age will likely impact the decision of many general managers in the NFL due to the fact that there is no room for development.

In addition to his age, Height also struggled at times to be a consistent run stopper, limiting his potential as an every-down defensive end.

While the age may force Height to fall all the way to round two, this should not discourage Morgan. Having Height play alongside Scourton in his first season, along with the potential addition of a veteran free agent this offseason, will allow him to fast track his growth and development at the NFL level in 2026.

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