If the season ended today, the Carolina Panthers would narrowly miss the playoffs and end up with a pick right in the middle of the first round. That’s not exactly ideal, because to get the best players, you need to pick high. And if you’re not, you’d prefer to make the playoffs.
That said, for a Panthers team that’s nearly equaled its 2023 and 2024 win totals in one season, this is a huge step, and there are still plenty of good players in this range. CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner believes the Panthers will target a cornerback this time around.
NFL mock draft sends Clemson corner to Carolina Panthers
Clemson defensive back Ronan Hanafin (5) is congratulated by cornerback Avieon Terrell (8) after his interception against Troy during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, September 6, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
With the 17th pick in the 2025 NFL mock draft, the Carolina Panthers select Avieon Terrell, cornerback, Clemson University. In doing so, they pass on :
- CJ Allen
- Kayden McDonald
- T.J. Parker
- Sonny Styles
- KC Concepcion
- Christen Miller
- Makai Lemon
- Kenyon Sadiq
“The Panthers have a lot of holes to fill defensively, but none seem more pressing than cornerback. Terrell is a distinctly different type of corner from Jaycee Horn, as the Clemson corner is more capable of handling shiftier, smaller receivers,” Renner said.
That is true. Horn is a bigger, more physical corner that thrives in press coverage when he can be physical. Terrell is a different type of corner, giving the Panthers the ability to match up as needed. He’s also probably an improvement on Mike Jackson, whose contract ends after the 2026 season anyway.
But it’s probably not true that the most pressing need on defense is cornerback. Linebacker and edge are probably higher, and safety might be as well. Passing on T.J. Parker there is surprising. Terrell is a good player, but with Horn and Jackson, they have decent corners.
Plus, cornerbacks are made better by a good pass rush. So adding Parker to Nic Scourton would work wonders for Horn and Jackson, thereby making cornerback a smaller need. Either way, though, this would improve the defense even more. The unit has gotten so much better in 2025, but there’s still room for growth.
