The Panthers get a big weapon for Bryce Young in Fox Sports’ latest NFL draft

The Carolina Panthers they have a franchise quarterback prospect again after Bryce Young had a resurgent sophomore yearwhich means they need to build around him on offense. And that’s exactly what the Panthers are projected to do in the latest 2025 NFL draft from Fox Sports’ Jason McIntyre. Although he admits that there are also big defensive needs, the expert predicts that Carolina will grab the dynamic Arizona wide receiver Cheers McMillan.

“I’ve moved the offense here (with Arizona VR Tetairoa McMillan) to help Bryce Young continue his strong finish to the season, but the defense is desperate for some playmakers in the front seven,” McIntyre writes.

While in 2025 NFL draft is still three months away, McMillan is undoubtedly the consensus VR on the board at this point. He’s 6-foot-5, 212 pounds, and has incredible run-after-the-catch ability to go along with his stellar catch radius. Everything about this player screams NFL VR1.

This would be the second straight season the Panthers take a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft. Last year the team took South Carolina pass catcher Xavier Leggett with the 32nd pick.

Pairing McMillan with the 6-foot-3, 227-pound Leggete could give Carolina one of the biggest, most physical and most talented young VR duos in the league. With a pretty solid offensive line and a decent stable of running backs, reshaping the receiving room could be the final step to help Young take a step toward being a legitimate franchise KB.

With the Panthers going offense in this 2025 NFL Mock Draft, it leaves big needs on the defensive side of the ball, as McIntyre points out. That unit produced the most points in the NFL last season and could use a talented young player at almost every position. However, head coach Dave Canales is an offensive guy, and if the team’s strength gets even bigger on that side of the ball, the team can figure out a defense with late draft picks and free agents.

Team Crean began writing sports in 2016 and joined ClutchPoint in 2022. He excels in his all-round coverage of the NFL, NBA, football, sports media and more. As a long-time self-proclaimed sports addict, it’s a dream to write about sports professionally.