RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The 2025 campaign saw the Carolina Panthers capture their first playoff berth since 2017 and their first NFC South title since 2015. And that year's rookie class, headlined by wide receiver and AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, certainly contributed to the team's success.
So, could we see a similar type of impact here in 2026?
According to an analysis by Bleacher Report , the Panthers have three of the 100 best rookies in the NFL this year. Fifth-round pick and former Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley was first to pop up on the countdown at No. 89:
Consistently around the football in the Hall of Fame game with eight tackles and a forced fumble, Zakee Wheatley showed up in his first NFL action. The roster is ripe with safety talent in Carolina, but Wheatley was causing turnovers in camp and brings the tackling mentality that NFL defenses need. It could be hard for him to crack the field as a rookie, but if/when he does, don't be surprised.
Wheatley made his presence known in last week's Hall of Fame Game, where he posted a team-leading eight tackles in the 33-30 win .
Next, second-round defensive lineman Lee Hunter came in at No. 42:
Hunter's run defense gives him a chance to be an immediate starter and two-down player in the NFL. He'll have to compete for that role with Bobby Brown III, but it helps the rookie's case that Brown began training camp on the NFI list and only played in 33 percent of the defense's snaps last season, per Pro Football Reference.... the overall point remains that Hunter has a good chance to be a contributor in year one.
With A'Shawn Robinson gone and Tershawn Wharton working back from offseason neck surgery, Hunter may have plenty of opportunities from the jump.
Finally, first-round draft pick and offensive tackle Monroe Freeling was ranked at No. 28:
Freeling is switching from left to right tackle as an accommodation for Taylor Moton being out indefinitely with blood clots. He will have all of camp to get comfortable on the strong side. Freeling is a toolsy, athletic blocker with prototypical size (6'7", 318 lbs) for the position, but a raw, unrefined skill-set indicates a high-variance rookie year.
Freeling, despite being drafted as a left tackle, will be starting on the right side in place of veteran Taylor Moton—who is recovering from a blood clot in his lung. He is one of two new bookends for the offensive trench entering the season, with free-agent signee Rasheed Walker filling in for Ikem Ekwonu on the blindside.
Three out of 100 would give the Panthers an appropriate amount of rookie talent compared to the rest of the league. Sleeper candidates like cornerback Will Lee III and center Sam Hecht could wind up giving Carolina more than just their fair share.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers have 3 of NFL's top 100 rookies for 2026 season
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