Panthers' Draft Haul: High Praise, Low Ranking

0:00It's April 28th. From breaking news to Sunday matchups, this is NFL News Today, powered by AI. The Carolina Panthers just wrapped a draft class that's getting mad love across the league for 2026. They snagged top talents like George's offensive tackle, Monroe Freeling, Texas Tech's defensive lineman, Lee Hunter, and Tennessee's wide receiver, Chris Brazil II. Folks are calling it one of the best halls out there. To check this, in the Athletics' fresh power rankings, the Panthers slid from number 13 down to number 18. No crystal clear reason dropped, but the vibe is their moves didn't fully impress the rankers yet. Shout out though to their 5th round center, Sam Hecht, who got specific props from the Falcons B-Key. He's not flashy, but super steady, starting 25 games over his last two college seasons. That feels a gap since their free agent center Luke Fortner has only started 10 games in two years. Day 3 rounded out strong with Texas A&M cornerback, Will Lee III, Penn State Safety's Aiki Wheatley,

1:02and Miami of Ohio linebacker Jackson, Kuwatch. In the division, Tampa Bay sits at 16, Atlanta at 22, and New Orleans at 24. Panther Spans, its early draft buzz is high, rankings will shift as training camp heats up. Keep watching how these rookies stack the squad.