The Carolina Panthers will probably look at defense primarily in the NFL Draft. However, they do still need a playmaker at wide receiver. The jury is out on Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. Adam Thielen is only getting older and has one more year left on his contract. The position group is fine, but it can’t be overlooked.

Could that mean a wide receiver taken eighth overall? It could. Could it also mean trading back for one? It could, at least in the eyes of NFL reporter Joe Person of the Athletic. He detailed which receivers could realistically end up in Carolina this spring.

The longshot miracle option, otherwise known as Joe Person’s “pie in the sky” player, is Travis Hunter. He might end up being a cornerback, but he’s also a wide receiver. There’s just no conceivable scenario in which he falls to eighth unless he tanks the combine. Even then, it’s probably not happening.

That leaves one realistic option: Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan. He’s been mocked to the Panthers several times before, and Person said, “Could the Panthers push their defensive needs to the backburner — or address some in free agency — and get Bryce Young another playmaker? It’s possible, especially if Morgan doesn’t pick up a receiver via a trade or free agency. The 6-5 McMillan is bigger and a more polished route runner than Xavier Legette, who the Panthers traded up to take at 32 last year. McMillan finished third among FBS wideouts last year with 1,319 receiving yards, with eight touchdowns. McMillan, another Servite graduate, also has reliable hands: He had just two drops on 136 targets in 2024.”

There’s a slim chance McMillan is off the board by eight as well. The New England Patriots are the wild card there because they need a wide receiver way more than Carolina does. Do they think McMillan is better for Drake Maye than an offensive lineman? Maybe.

If that’s the case or if someone else grabs McMillan, which is possible, the Panthers can also trade back. If they do, they can still target Luther Burden. “At 5-11 and 205 pounds, Burden is built much different than McMillan. But he’s a natural athlete with the ability to make plays after the catch — a skill set that prompted Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz to compare him to Deebo Samuel,” Person said. “After three seasons at Missouri, Burden leaves in the top six on the school’s all-time list for receptions (192), receiving yardage (2,263) and receiving touchdowns (21).”

Burden is a speed receiver, but given how well Bryce Young’s deep ball evolved last year, it’s maybe worth getting someone whose primary skillset is to take the top off the defense.

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