The NFL Top 100 has already created a head-scratcher for the Panthers, and Derrick Brown is right in the middle of it.
Brown came in at No. 90 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026, a spot that feels far too low for a player who might be Carolina’s best overall talent and anchors one of the most important positions on the field. Even more surprising, he landed just eight spots ahead of Bryce Young.
NFL.com’s Bobby Kownack, in breaking down the No. 90 and No. 89 reveals, noted that Brown finished fourth among defensive tackles in 2025 with 45 tackles that resulted in negative plays for the offense. That kind of production should put him much higher than 90th overall.
If Brown is already sitting at No. 90, the rest of Carolina’s list could get thin fast.
Tetairoa McMillan looks like the first Panther who may be left out. The Offensive Rookie of the Year has the kind of upside that usually gets attention in these rankings, but among Carolina players, he still may not stack up as one of the top three. His award came in a rookie class that didn’t feature any star quarterbacks and barely got him past 1,000 yards, which could hurt his case even though the talent is obvious.
Mike Jackson is another name that probably won’t crack the list. He matters a lot to the Panthers, but it’s hard to see Carolina’s second-best corner finishing ahead of Brown, who remains one of the better interior defensive linemen in the league.
That leaves only two realistic candidates to join Brown, and both have legitimate arguments.
Devin Lloyd is coming off a career year, earning second-team All-Pro honors and making the Pro Bowl for the first time. He was excellent in coverage and tied for second in the NFL with five interceptions. If any Panther is going to rank above the rest, Lloyd has a strong claim to be the highest.
Jaycee Horn also deserves a place. He made the Pro Bowl for the second straight year and was Carolina’s lone selection last season. Like Lloyd, he finished tied for second in the league with five interceptions.
The problem for Carolina is simple: even if Lloyd and Horn both get in, there’s still a case that they should trail Brown. That could mean the Panthers have more players in the Top 100 than it first appears - or that the order is going to look completely off. Only time will tell.
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