Panthers saddled with a terrible roster ranking by ESPN, but a promising rookie could help make it look foolish
The Panthers are very low on a list they should probably be higher on, but their 2026 third round draft pick could help change things.
The Carolina Panthers made significant strides last year, as the franchise topped the NFC South for the first time since the 2015 Super Bowl season.
Much of the franchise’s success was powered by a strong rookie season by 2025 first round draft pick Tetairoa McMillan. The big wideout crossed the 1000-yard receiving mark on the way to NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Clearly, his future is a bright one in Charlotte.
However, even with a budding offensive star, where do the Panthers land in the NFL pantheon of skill position players? According to ESPN senior NFL writer Bill Barnwell, not highly. 28th, in fact, in his rankings.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell ranks Panthers’ skill position players 28th in the NFL
Barnwell does give Carolina some credit for McMillan’s strong season, as well as the strong finish to the season by No. 2 WR Jalen Coker.
“The Panthers got most of what they were hoping for from 2025 eighth pick Tetairoa McMillan, whose athleticism translated in separating from and running past even high-end cornerbacks for touchdowns,” Barnwell wrote. “And Jalen Coker started the season on injured reserve with a hamstring issue, but his line from Week 11 onward prorates to just short of a 1,000-yard full season. The Panthers responded by giving the undrafted free agent a contract extension earlier this month.”
Where the Panthers fell on their faces with Barnwell is at the running back and tight end positions.
“But everyone else didn’t budge or fell backward. Chuba Hubbard lost his RB1 job around midseason to Rico Dowdle and wasn’t able to overcome the offensive line injury issues. We never saw Jonathon Brooks, who now takes over as the second back in the Carolina rotation. And 2024 first-rounder Xavier Legette ranked 110th in yards per route run. The Panthers also ranked 30th in receiving yards from their tight ends. This is still a young group, but everyone besides McMillan requires some small-sample extrapolation or selective sampling to peg as an average-or-better contributor.”
Panthers rookie WR Chris Brazzell II could be an X-factor in 2026
It’s hard to argue with Barnwell’s hesitations about the running back and tight end rooms, particularly when you compare them to the rest of the NFL. Although, the return of Jonathon Brooks should serve as a shot in the arm to the running back room.
However, if Tennessee rookie Chris Brazzell II can live up to his lofty potential as a rookie, the Panthers could have one of the best young wide receiver trios in the NFL. Brazzell has already turned some heads in his first two months in Charlotte, and he holds the potential to turn into a deep threat who can stretch the field and take some of the attention off of McMillan this fall.
We’ll see how things go with the lights come on in a couple of months, but if Carolina’s offense hits another gear in 2026, it very well could be because of the contributions from the former Volunteer. And that could move the Panthers up a few notches on next year’s rankings.