Luke Kuechly gives phenomenal personal insight on how important Lee Hunter can be for the Carolina Panthers’ defense
Carolina Panthers legend and Hall of Fame linebacker Luke Kuechly is a big fan of the team’s decision to trade up and draft defensive tackle Lee Hunter in the second-round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Carolina Panthers made a big move in the second-round of the 2026 NFL Draft when general manager Dan Morgan moved up the draft board to select Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter with the 49th overall pick amid a run at the position.
It was an aggressive move, and not one many expected. However, Morgan noted before the draft that the class was “top-heavy” at the interior position and felt the team needed player like Hunter to man play inside and replace A’Shawn Robinson.
Entering Day 2, many expected the Panthers to be aggressive for another Texas Tech defender in linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, who was ultimately drafted 43rd overall by the Miami Dolphins. Yet, this outcome could actually work out just as well for the Carolina’s linebacker room.
Luke Kuechly shares his experience having a strong interior front while praising the Lee Hunter selection
Carolina Panthers legend and Hall of Fame linebacker Luke Kuechly discussed the team’s decision to trade up and select Hunter on the team’s JJ and Luke Podcast and provided some incredible insight.
“The guys at Texas Tech – [David] Bailey the edge rusher, and obviously Jacob Rodriguez [the linebacker] – those guys would not have the success that they did without having a really good inside guy,” Kuechly explained. “My second year in Carolina, we drafted Star Lotulelei in the first-round and Kawann Short in the second-round. Thomas [Davis] and I remember Al Holcomb, our linebacker coach, said ‘you two better walk on into Dave Gettleman, the GM’s, office and say thank you, because these two guys are monsters.’”
That first season with Lotulelei and Short on the interior, Davis and Kuechly combined for 279 tackles and 23 tackles for a loss. Kuechly was selected to the Pro Bowl, first-team All-Pro, and named Defensive Player of the Year. As great of a player that he was, Kuechly knew how critical having those two players inside were to his job.
The selection of Hunter is going to be just as valuable for Devin Lloyd and Trevin Wallace at the linebacker position by taking command of the line of scrimmage and allowing those two to fly in for the tackle.
With Hunter and Derrick Brown, the Panthers will be able to eliminate the inside run game nearly every single time. Kuechly also went on and explained the benefit Hunter brings to Brown, allowing Brown to play different positions on the interior.
It wasn’t the selection many expected the team to go with in the second-round, but Hunter has a chance to make the biggest impression (no pun intended) out of all the new rookie defenders.
