Taking a look at the top Carolina Panthers draft targets with the 19th pick, including cornerback Avieon Terrell.
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Not much was expected of the Carolina Panthers last season, and their fans didn’t start out with much hope when the team started with a 1-3 record. Carolina quickly found another gear, though, and rattled off seven wins in their next 10 games, winning a weak NFC South division with an 8-9 record. For as average as that record looked, the Panthers deserve some credit for the teams they beat and narrowly losing to a Los Angeles Rams team that fell just short of a Super Bowl appearance. With higher expectations this year and nobody overlooking them anymore, the Panthers have a big draft ahead of them.
Here are three Carolina Panthers draft targets to take with the 19th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Carolina Panthers Draft Targets at No. 19
Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
There is little doubt that the Carolina Panthers have one of the best cornerbacks in the league in Jaycee Horn. Unfortunately, outside of him, the Panthers don’t have much talent. While Horn can consistently lock down his assignment, most cornerbacks have been able to go to their second or third options with more ease than Carolina would like. That’s where Avieon Terrell comes into play. Little brother of AJ Terrell for the Atlanta Falcons, Avieon looks like he’ll follow in his brother’s footsteps and be a solid NFL starter on day one.
Terrell is not only great in man coverage, especially when he’s pressing receivers, but he is also incredibly effective in run support. There are few players who ever get past him, even in the open field, and he’s more than willing to come down to make the tackle. He never overextends himself in coverage or run support, and makes the play much more often than he does not. While his size is his biggest knock, he has everything else that NFL defensive coordinators are looking for at the position. With Horn locked in as the CB1 on this roster anyway, Terrell will be just fine as the second option.
Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
A big issue for the Carolina Panthers last year was getting to the quarterback. Carolina was tied for 30th in the NFL last year in team sacks, with just 30. That simply cannot happen again if the Panthers want to get back to the playoffs. Luckily for them, there are plenty of solid edge rushers in this draft, and Akheem Mesidor is one of them. Mesidor is an older prospect, but he has all the talent in the world and was coached by one of the best of all time at Miami in Jason Taylor.
The Panthers need the relentless aggression and pursuit that Mesidor has on the edge. They are also surprisingly in more of a “win now” mode due to last year’s success, so Mesidor’s age doesn’t play as much of a factor compared to a team that may want to draft someone that can be a cornerstone piece for the franchise. It’s rare to have a prospect come into the league with as strong a coach as Jason Taylor, so he should be able to get up to NFL speed much faster than most of the other prospects in this draft as well.
Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
The Carolina Panthers are building something, and it’s clear that they are turning the culture inside the locker room into a winning one. Keldric Faulk makes all the sense in the world for Carolina at this pick because he is not only a great edge rusher, but he’s a great leader as well. He was named an accountability leader while at Auburn and would be a great asset to the locker room and the Charlotte community.
On the field, Faulk is no slouch either. He’s a massive player and can line up in multiple positions on the defensive line. Not only is he very disciplined for a prospect, but he is also really solid in run defense as well. Faulk also does a good job in pursuit of the quarterback, which will be a real asset in an NFC South division that has quarterbacks that can and will run when given the opportunity.
