The godfather of the NFL draft has linked the Carolina Panthers to a relatively fresh name following their active adventure through free agency.
In his latest 2026 mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. connects the Panthers with University of Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren at the 19th overall pick. Kiper writes the following of the 2025 second-team All-American, who has risen up the boards of late:
McNeil-Warren deserves to be here; he has the speed and instincts to make plays, accumulating 10 forced fumbles and five interceptions over his four seasons at Toledo. Carolina focused on defense this month, signing edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd to sizable contracts. It also brought back safety Nick Scott alongside Tre’von Moehrig, but McNeil-Warren could make a big impact in the secondary and give the team some options. The Panthers allowed 6.5 yards per dropback last season (22nd in the NFL).
As Kiper notes, Carolina did bring back safety Nick Scott—who posted a career-high 111 tackles over 17 starts this past season. They’re also rostering soon-to-be second-year safety Lathan Ransom, one of the team’s two fourth-round picks from 2025.
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McNeil-Warren, however, could provide a big-play element to the group—which combined for just three interceptions last year. The 22-year-old—in addition to the takeaways—posted 5.5 tackles for a loss, five passes defensed and an interception return for a touchdown in his final campaign for the Rockets.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Mel Kiper links Panthers to fresh name in post-free agency mock draft
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