It wouldn’t shock a single person who follows the NFL closely if the Carolina Panthers picked a defensive player with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
It would, however, be quite the surprise if it weren’t Georgia LB Jalon Walker, Michigan DL Mason Graham, Michigan CB Will Johnson or one of the handful of pass rushers who could go in the top 10-15.
In his latest mock draft on CBS Sports, Chris Trapasso projected the Panthers to go outside of the aforementioned names while still landing a potential building block for Ejiro Evero’s defense.
Trapasso’s bold pick: Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell
“Surprise! Panthers general manager Dan Morgan, a damn good linebacker in his own right, drafts the speedy and physical Jihaad Campbell to be the leader of his defense,” Trapasso said.
Campbell is a talented player, who is coming off one heck of a season, but staying at No. 8 and taking him there may be a tad too high. Then again, if he’s your guy, he’s your guy.
This past season, Campbell recorded 117 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles, two passes defended, one fumble recovery, and an interception.