The Carolina Panthers are in a great position to upgrade their roster in 2025. Bryce Young has earned the right to be the team's starting quarterback and the front office will undoubtedly do everything they can to surround him with talent heading into year three.
However, they cannot afford to ignore the defensive side of the ball. Carolina has some young pieces to work with in Jaycee Horn and Derrick Brown, but they need to build a formidable pass rush. Jadeveon Clowney is under contract for next season, but he's 31 years old and hasn't been on an upwards trajectory in a while.
That's why Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports has Carolina addressing their pass rush by selecting Penn State's Abdul Carter with the No.6 overall pick.
Carter is a freaky specimen around the corner with incredible burst and flexibility. He's precisely what the Panthers need on their defensive line.
Carter has exploded onto the scene since committing full-time as a pass rusher. In three years for the Nittany Lions, he logged 168 tackles, 12 passes defended, 22 sacks and 39 tackles for a loss. Carter had 11 sacks and 22 tackles for a loss in 2024 alone, cementing himself as the top edge rusher in this year's draft class.
