The Carolina Panthers may be gearing up to correct course at wide receiver - again.
After investing a first-round pick in Xavier Legette in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Panthers were hoping they’d landed a game-changing weapon for Bryce Young. Legette had all the tools - size, speed, athleticism - and looked like a potential difference-maker on paper.
But on the field? It’s been a different story.
Legette’s early returns have been underwhelming, to put it mildly. Not only has he struggled to find his footing in the pros, but there’s a real case to be made that his development has regressed in Year 2. That’s not what Carolina envisioned when they made him a Day 1 pick.
And now, with another offseason looming, it appears the Panthers could be going back to the well at wide receiver. According to projections, Carolina is expected to target USC’s Makai Lemon in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft - which would mark the third straight year the team has used a top pick on a wideout, following Legette in 2024 and Tetairoa McMillan in 2025.
Lemon isn’t just another name in the mix. He’s the real deal.
The USC standout just wrapped up a monster season, leading the Big Ten with 1,156 receiving yards on 79 catches, including 11 touchdowns through the air and two more on the ground. He’s not just productive - he’s explosive, versatile, and polished.
At 5-foot-11, Lemon projects as an elite slot option, and pairing him with McMillan, who’s already looking like one of the league’s brightest young X-receivers, could give Carolina a dynamic one-two punch.
That kind of firepower on the perimeter would be a major boost for Bryce Young - assuming he’s still the guy under center when the Panthers kick off next season.
That’s the other piece of this puzzle. Young’s long-term future in Carolina is anything but certain. The team will soon face a decision on his fifth-year option, and how he performs down the stretch could go a long way in determining whether they double down on their investment in him or start exploring other options.
But even if Young’s status is still in flux, adding more weapons to the offense is never a bad idea - especially with a playoff race heating up and the Panthers sitting at 7-7. This Sunday’s matchup against the Buccaneers could decide first place in the NFC South, and if Carolina can keep pace, the narrative around this team - and its young quarterback - could shift in a hurry.
For now, though, the message is clear: the Panthers are still building. And if Makai Lemon ends up in Carolina next spring, it’ll be another bold swing at surrounding their quarterback - whoever that may be - with the kind of talent that can change games.