Panthers Trade Up for Lee Hunter, Strengthen Trenches

0:00It's April 25th. This is NFL News Today, driven by AI following the league in real time. The Carolina Panthers made a slick move in the 2026 NFL draft, trading up with the Minnesota Vikings on Friday night. They sent the 51st and 159th picks to grab the 49th and 196th overall. That let them snag Texas Tech defensive line in Lee Hunter, a first team all-American from last year, to beef up their front. Hunter slats riding with offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, their 19th overall pick from round one. This duo aims to shore up both sides of the line early in the draft class. Fans are buzzing about the trenches getting tougher already, especially after Carolina's rebuild push. Hunter's college tape shows pass rush juice that compare well with their existing bets. Moving into day 2's end, the Panthers hold picks at 83 in the third, 119 in the fourth, 158 from. Minnesota in the fifth, that's from the old Adam Thielin deal, 196 from the trade in

1:02the sixth, and their own 200th in the sixth. If General Manager Dan Morgan holds steady, they've got one more selection tonight to wrap up a solid haul before free agency heats back up.