(This post will be updated.)With every NFL draft comes a bevy of buzz. Whether or not the swarm of rumors surrounding the highly-anticipated selection process is often largely true, it's all rather difficult to keep tabs on.So, we'll try to sort it all out for you!Keep it here as we track the latest news and reports about the Carolina Panthers and their path to the 2026 NFL Draft.Eyeing a playmaker on Day 1?April 9: ESPN draft and college football analyst Jordan Reid reported that the Panthers are prioritizing adding another a playmaker for soon-to-be fourth-year quarterback Bryce Young . . .Adding another playmaker for Young is viewed as essential when speaking to sources close to the Panthers.
It is certainly possible that they draft a receiver in Round 1 for a third consecutive year.Carolina used their last two first-round picks on the wideout position, taking Xavier Legette in 2024 and Tetairoa McMillan in 2025.Panthers 'high' on intriguing TE prospectApril 9: Reid also notes that the Panthers are "high" on Georgia tight end Oscar Delp. Delp, who reeled in 70 receptions for 854 yards and nine touchdowns over four seasons with the Bulldogs, is likely a Day 2 selection.Panthers also 'very high' on later-round LBApril 15: According to Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports, the Panthers are among the teams who are "very high" on TCU linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr.
Pauline wrote about the potential interest . . .Kaleb Elarms-Orr of TCU and Trey Moore from Texas are receiving a lot of positive chatter in the scouting community and could end up being selected higher in the draft than most presently predict... The Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, and Minnesota Vikings are very high on Elarms-Orr and have interviewed him through different mediums since the Senior Bowl.Elarms-Orr recorded 130 combined tackles (11.0 for a loss), four sacks and two pass breakups in a breakout 2025 campaign.Down to a pair of Ducks at No. 19?April 17: While listing six possibilities for Carolina's first-round pick, Joe Person of The Athletic opined that the choice could become a "Duck-themed dilemma" if Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman are both on the board.
Person wrote the following on Sadiq, who is widely considered the top prospect at his position . . .The Panthers haven’t had a game-changing tight end in the pass game since Greg Olsen left for Seattle in 2020. That’s a long time. As the Panthers try to figure out how much Young is worth as he enters his fourth season, adding a unicorn to the offensive mix could be big for Bryce and the organization.Adam Schefter on the first round: 'It's a trenches pick'April 20: ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter dumped off some draft intel on each of the league's 32 teams on Monday.
He believes the Panthers should (and very well could) zero in on an offensive lineman."To me, it's a trenches pick. It's a trenches pick," he stated. "That's the one that makes the most sense, and it's another one of those teams that falls into that offensive-line hunt that we're talking about that's going on from roughly 11 to 31."A potential backup plan for ThursdayApril 21: Person compiled his final big board for the Panthers on Tuesday.
He suggests Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. could be a contingent plan if Thieneman, the perceived favorite for the 19th overall selection, is gone . . .Fernando Mendoza’s favorite target (69-937-13 TDs) during the Hoosiers’ national championship season, Cooper has more dependable hands than Concepcion. Keep an eye on Cooper at 19 if Thieneman is off the board.Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers 2026 draft rumors: Tracking the latest news, buzz and reports