The Carolina Panthers, following a massive spending spree in the recent free agency period, will now shift their focus to the 2026 NFL Draft.

Heading into this offseason, the primary positions that general manager Dan Morgan needed to address came on the defensive side of the ball, including an additional pass rusher alongside 2025 second-round pick Nic Scourton and a stout linebacker to command the middle of the field. Luckily for the organization, Morgan and the front office, Carolina was able to sign EDGE Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency, leaving the Panthers in an intriguing spot leading up to the draft.

Now, Carolina must figure out their plan of attack for the upcoming draft, as the franchise could look to upgrade either side of the ball in round one. One name that is starting to gain traction ahead of the highly anticipated event is Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion, after a terrific 2025 season with the Aggies.

However, the question now becomes simple: should Carolina select their third straight wide receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft?

Concepcion, an explosive playmaker with the ball in his hands, has quickly become one of the top receivers in the 2026 draft class. After spending two seasons with the North Carolina State Wolfpack, the blossoming star decided to transfer to Texas A&M for his final college season, which proved to be an excellent move. In 2025, Concepcion finished with 919 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 61 catches, while also picking up 75 rushing yards and one touchdown on 10 carries.

Looking at how Concepcion could fit into the Panthers’ offensive scheme in 2026 and beyond, the electric receiver would be a perfect complementary piece to 2025 first-round pick Tetoairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. His dynamic speed would give head coach Dave Canales a raw deep threat, along with a true yards-after-the-catch player.

Still, there are plenty of other directions that the Panthers could take in round one outside of another wide receiver, such as Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman. Canales mentioned the safety position as a potential need at pick No. 19, which makes Thieneman a perfect replacement for veteran Nick Scott.

In order to truly solidify the defense ahead of next season, targeting an extremely talented playmaker in round one, such as Thieneman, would give the organization an instant-impact player on the defensive side of the ball.

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