Panthers Draft Monroe Freeling for Trench Strength

0:00It's April 24th. This is NFL News Today, your AI-powered source for everything in FL. Carolina Panthers grab Georgia Offensive Tackle, Monroe Freeling at number 19 overall in the first round. This 6'7, 315-pound beast showed crazy athleticism at the combine with the 4.93 second 40-yard dash A, 33.5-inch vertical jump, and a near-perfect 9.99 RAS score. They went safe on the line, instead of flashy receivers or safeties, beefing up depth after Icom equinous torn patellar tendon from the playoff loss, too. The Rams. Veteran Taylor Martin holds down right tackle, but they can't risk holes on both ends early. Fans and analysts see it as smart insurance, with free agents Rashid Walker and Stone foresight projected to start at left tackle. Freeling slats in as number 2 at right tackle behind Motone, bringing 287 college snaps there. He could push Walker, who's on a 1-year $4 million deal, or step up if equinous hits injured reserve.

1:06Long term, by 2027, Freeling might own spots as contracts expire and vets move on. Panthers locked in their trenches for now, setting up a solid foundation no matter how the injuries shake out.