2026 NFL Draft: Panthers make Sam Hecht center of fifth-round attention
Carolina needed to improve center depth after losing Cade Mays in free agency.
2026 NFL Draft: Panthers make Sam Hecht center of fifth-round attention originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Dan Morgan hinted at what he planned for the center position during the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Carolina Panthers general manager said April 14, "don't be surprised," if he made a move. After losing Cade Mays to free agency earlier this offseason, Morgan reached out to fill the void by signing Luke Fornter on a one-year deal. It wasn't enough.
Morgan wanted to help solidify the center position and targeted depth through the three-day showcase in Pittsburgh. He did so by drafting Kansas State's Sam Hecht with the No. 144 overall selection .
Morgan opened Day 3 with two draft-positon trades before settling on Texas A&M cornerback Will Lee III with the 129th pick in the fourth round. Panthers write in C Sam Hecht as fifth-round pick The 6-foot-4, 303-pounder was ranked as the second-best prospect at center and 80th overall player, according to ESPN. The underdog was a zero-star recruit out of high school.