The following is an excerpt from Warren Sharp's 2025 Football Preview book. In addition to Warren's deep, detailed write-up on all 32 NFL teams, each chapter features page after page of full-color charts, stats, and heatmaps as well as draft class analysis from Ryan McCrystal. Click here for a full FREE chapter from the 2025 Football Preview.
With 2025 NFL training camps on the horizon, we’re starting to understand how 2025 NFL draft classes will impact each roster this season.
Let's look at the Carolina Panthers, breaking down the most likely instant-impact rookies from each class, while also providing some insight into why certain early picks may not see the field.
Who are the Carolina Panthers rookies?
- Tetairoa McMillan (WR, Arizona)
- Nic Scourton (EDGE, Texas A&M)
- Princely Umanmielen (EDGE, Ole Miss)
- Trevor Etienne (RB, Georgia)
- Lathan Ransom (S, Ohio State)
- Cam Jackson (DT, Florida)
- Mitchell Evans (TE, Notre Dame)
- Jimmy Horn Jr. (WR, Colorado)
Carolina Panthers Draft Class Grade:
The Carolina Panthers received an A draft grade from Sharp Football.
Which Panthers Rookies Will Make An Impact?
The selection of Tetairoa McMillan (first round) was a necessary move to continue supporting the development of Bryce Young.
Since Young has never demonstrated elite downfield accuracy, he needs a big weapon like McMillan, who can fight for the contested catch.
McMillan is more than just a downfield weapon, though, and is a legitimate threat after the catch, especially for his size.
Over the last two seasons, McMillan’s route adjusted yards after catch were 11% more than expected.
McMillan will be joined in the receivers room by 5-foot-8 Jimmy Horn Jr. (sixth round), who generated 13% fewer yards after catch than expected.
Horn’s best chance to earn a roster spot will be to beat out Raheem Blackshear as the primary return specialist.
Nic Scourton (second round) has a chance to be a Day 2 steal for the Panthers.
Scourton’s production dropped after transferring from Purdue to Texas A&M in 2024. He added weight with the Aggies and was noticeably less explosive.
Assuming Scourton stays around his combine weight of 257 pounds, the Panthers are getting a dangerous edge rusher with a nasty spin move.
As a 19-year-old in 2023, Scourton terrorized Big Ten quarterbacks and ranked 24th among Power Conference edge-rushers with a 16.7% pressure rate.
The release of Jadeveon Clowney clears a path for Scourton to start immediately, though he’ll have some competition from free agent addition Patrick Jones and Princely Umanmielen (third round).
Like Scourton, Umanmielen was once considered a potential first-round selection.
Questions about attitude and maturity may have contributed to Umanmielen’s fall to the third round, but his talent is undeniable.
Umanmielen ranked ninth among Power Four edge rushers in pressure rate last year (18.1%), and sixth the previous year while at Florida (20.0%).
Trevor Etienne (fourth round) will compete with Rico Dowdle to serve as Chuba Hubbard’s backup.
Etienne is undersized and struggles to create for himself, but he brings an explosive skill set that could pair well with Hubbard.
A lack of power likely holds Etienne back from ascending to a larger role. When running into a stacked box, he gained just 3.6 yards per attempt, ranked 22nd out of 27 ball carriers in the SEC 一 a dismal performance considering the offensive line in front of him at Georgia.
Lathan Ransom (fourth round) is a strong downhill run defender and a hard hitter at the safety position. He’ll have a chance to compete for the strong safety role immediately.
Both starting safeties from a season ago are gone, and free agent addition Tre’von Moehrig is the only one on the roster locked into a job.
Whether Ransom earns a starting role may depend on whether Carolina is comfortable with Moehrig as the free safety, since Ransom is better suited to play in the box.
Carolina used single-high coverage 66% of the time last year, so Ransom could be the ideal strong safety for Ejiro Evero’s defense.
Cam Jackson (fifth round) is a quality run defender who has the ideal versatile skill set for a backup role in Carolina's defense, which used three-man fronts 45% of the time last year.
Jackson has the strength to play nose tackle in that scheme, but also has the length and enough athleticism to line up in a four or five-tech role in a three-man front.
In such a talented class of tight ends, it was surprising Carolina waited until Day 3 to address their need with Mitchell Evans (fifth round).
Evans is a reliable possession receiver, but is still developing as a blocker. He’ll compete with Tommy Tremble and Ja’Tavion Sanders, last year’s fourth-round pick, for snaps but might lack the physical traits to ascend to a starting role.
This draft got off to a promising start with the selection of McMillan, but it was disappointing to see Carolina disproportionately focus on the defensive side of the ball overall.
Scouton and Umanmielen fill obvious needs, but the primary focus of the franchise should be the development of its young quarterback. A more dynamic weapon at tight end or even another receiver earlier in the draft would have been nice additions to surround Young with as much talent as possible.
This analysis continues in the 2025 Football Preview
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