Panthers land pass catcher they reportedly love in new mock draft

Little by little, the Carolina Panthers ' plans for the 2026 NFL Draft are coming into focus. For the past handful of weeks, mocks and predictions are purely of the speculative variety. Now that the selection process is right around the corner, hard reporting is finally giving some real proof of who exactly the Panthers may be looking at.

In Round 1, signs are pointing in two directions. Some of the favorites for the 19th overall pick include Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman or his teammate, tight end Kenyon Sadiq—who is projected to fall no further than Carolina's spot. The rest of the draft is more up for grabs, but one name is emerging as another potential target for the Panthers.

Last week, ESPN reported that the team is high Georgia tight end Oscar Delp. He lands in their lap at No. 53 overall in a new three-round mock draft from Rotoballer.

Chris Gregory writes: The Panthers lost Cade Mays in free agency, an underrated hemorrhage that could drastically impact their run game, so replacing him should be a priority. However, it is hard to ignore the buzz Delp is getting after he posted special athletic testing numbers and flashed special playmaking ability in limited opportunities at Georgia. Carolina reportedly loves Delp.