The Carolina Panthers spent 2025 turning a defense that had been a major problem into one of the reasons the team got back on track. A year after Dave Canales’s debut season ended with just 32 sacks and an NFL-worst 35 touchdown passes allowed in 17 regular-season games, Carolina finished 8-9, won the NFC South and pushed into the playoffs before falling 34-31 to the Rams.
A big part of that turnaround came from the cornerback pairing of Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. In 18 total games, the Panthers allowed only 23 touchdown passes, and both Horn and Jackson grabbed five interceptions. Horn earned his second straight Pro Bowl nod, while Jackson finished as Pro Football Focus’ No. 3 cornerback in ’25.
That’s the backdrop for why Carolina used a fourth-round pick on Will Lee III, a move that may have flown a little under the radar but fits the roster picture neatly. Jackson is in the final year of the two-year, $10.5 million contract he signed in 2025, and Lee gives the Panthers another young body at a position where they’ve already seen real progress.
Lee has drawn some strong evaluations. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell named him to his NFL All-Backup Team and pointed to his “6’2” frame and 89th percentile arm length make him a cornerback with the potential to physically compete at the line of scrimmage.”
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein was similarly intrigued in his pre-draft writeup. “Lee is better in man coverage than he is in zone,” stated Zierlein, “but he can handle both.
Pure speed can break away from him, so he’ll need help on the roof as a pro. He has the length and timing to make plays on the football.
However, he needs to play with more anticipation to match breaks and trigger more quickly from depth…Lee has traits and scheme versatility, toggling between quality backup and eventual starter as a prospect.”
The Texas A&M corner spent one season at Kansas State before the last two years with the Aggies. Over three college seasons, he recorded four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, along with 24 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 36 games. Last season, he added 50 tackles, one sack and eight passes defensed.
Morgan’s draft class drew praise in other spots too, with tackle Monroe Freeling, defensive tackle Lee Hunter and fifth-round picks Sam Hecht and Zakee Wheatley all landing as part of a group that got attention. Lee’s selection didn’t make the loudest noise, but it could end up mattering quickly for an improving Carolina defense under Ejiro Evero.
In Other News...
Panthers Just Changed Course In Their Quarterback Plans
The Panthers quarterback room had seemed set after Will Griers retirement, with Bryce Young, Kenny Pickett and Haynes King in place and the plan to roll forward with three arms in the room. Instead, Carolina altered course and added another veteran option, giving the staff a little more insulation and a different kind of competition heading into the next stretch of roster decisions.
Kyle Trask now steps into a group that already has a clear starter and two other challengers, which makes the backup picture worth watching as camp and preseason work unfold. The move also marks a noticeable shift from the teams earlier stance on staying put at the position, and it leaves the Panthers with a deeper, more crowded quarterback setup than they expected to have. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers May Finally Have Their Best-Case 2026 Backfield Story
The Panthers backfield picture for 2026 already has a familiar shape, with Chuba Hubbard still the established lead option and Jonathon Brooks trying to force his way into the conversation. Brooks remains the kind of talent Carolina can dream on if the health cooperates, which is why he stands out as the teams most intriguing breakout candidate in a speculative look around the NFC South.
Brooks has been back on the field for offseason work and into camp, and the early signs matter because Carolina does not need him to take over the backfield to make an impact. If he can stay available, there is a real path to a substantial role behind Hubbard, giving the Panthers a chance to turn a promising skill set into one of the more useful one-two punches in the division. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathon Brooks Just Put Panthers Fans On Comeback Watch
Jonathon Brooks was back around the Panthers on the first padded practice of the summer, and just seeing him out there offered a reminder of how long this road has been. The running back spoke about his recovery work after knee surgeries, with Chuba Hubbard emerging as a steady presence through the process, and Brooks also sounded energized by the chance to be part of the teams next live action in the coming Hall of Fame Game.
There was a little bit of star power on the sideline too, with Steve Smith Sr. and Chad Ochocinco around practice, though Brooks missed his window to meet both of them. For Panthers fans, the more important sight was Brooks taking another step forward in a summer that has been about patience, rehab and the hope that his next meaningful football moment is getting closer. [Read more 🡒]