After a ton of anticipation, projections, and mock drafts, the NFL Draft is over . The Carolina Panthers ended up going in a very different direction from what most mock drafts predicted, but even so, they had the best draft in the league. The theme of the Panthers' draft is value, meaning they selected prospects who shouldn’t have been there based on their rankings on most big boards.

Here's a refresher on the Panthers' 2026 draft class for those who don’t know it.

19th – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

49th – Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech

83rd – Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee

129th – Will Lee, CB, Texas A&M

144th – Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State

151st - Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State

227th – Jackson Kuwatch, LB, Miami (Ohio)

Why the Panthers Had the Best Draft

Oct 19, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Monroe Freeling (57) blocks Texas Longhorns edge rusher Trey Moore (8) in the second quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.…