Panthers' Draft Surprises: Freeling, Rodriguez, Delp

0:00On April 24th, Panthers keeping us on our toes with back-to-back first round surprises. Last night, the NFC Southchamps grabbed Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling at the 19th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This 6'7, 315-pound beast strengthens their line, even with Oregon Safety, Dylan Diamond still available. It's their second stray curveball up top, after that Tedotiro and McMillan steal last year. Instead of going defense early, they're doubling down on the trenches to protect their young QB and dominate up front. Fans are buzzing about the fit, Freeling's size and potential could lock down the right tackle spot right away, giving Carolina that nasty edge they've been building. Now, looking ahead to day 2 with rounds 2 and 3. Our mock has them wheeling and dealing, trading with Miami to snag Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez at number 43. This unanimous All-American forced 11 turnovers last season and slides right into the starting

1:02line of next to Devon Lloyd. They follow up at number 94, with Georgia tied in Oscar Delp, a 6'5 explosive playmaker who brings yards after catch juice, the Panthers crave. Day 2 is going to be wild, stay locked in as the board shakes up. That's the story for today, NFL News Today, driven by AI.