According to NFL.com analyst Chad Reuter, the Carolina Panthers' "ideal" top two selections in the 2025 draft come from the same school. (And no, it's not the University of Georgia.)
Reuter recently mapped out each team's dream two-pick hauls for later this month. Here, the Panthers are paired with a couple of Penn State Nittany Lions in tight end Tyler Warren (eighth overall) and safety Kevin Winston Jr. (57th):
The Panthers might have bigger needs on their roster than at tight end, but they are unlikely to find a more impactful player on offense than Warren. His presence as a safety valve and red-zone threat would aid Bryce Young's progression as a third-year starter. In this scenario, they take Winston -- a rangy, secure tackler -- to play beside free-agent pick-up Tre'von Moehrig. By taking two prospects from the same school with their first two picks, they follow the lead of the Rams (who actually traded Carolina this year's 57th overall pick as part of the process of pairing Jared Verse and Braden Fiske of Florida State) and Jaguars (who took Brian Thomas Jr. and Maason Smith out of LSU) last year.
Warren would immediately legitimate Carolina's tight end position, which hasn't seen a 400-yard receiver since Greg Olsen's last season with the organization (2019). The first-team All-American and John Mackey Award winner notched a Big Ten-leading 104 receptions for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024.
Winston played in just three games this past season before succumbing to a knee injury. He recorded 13 tackles and a forced fumble.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Panthers' 'ideal' top 2 picks come from same program
