One team's loss in the 2025 NFL draft could mean a huge gain for the Carolina Panthers.
A new first-round mock from Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports features quite the move at the No. 3 overall spot. He projects the New York Giants, who miss out on both quarterback Cam Ward and wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, trading the pick to (in this case) the aggressive Panthers.
Carolina then selects the top pass rusher in the entire class—Penn State standout Abdul Carter.
Benjamin writes:
The Panthers have lacked an imposing sack artist for a while. They could take advantage of the Giants being boxed out of coveted options like Cam Ward and Travis Hunter, jumping up to secure the top edge rusher of the class.
The price of the trade for the Panthers was not included, but would undoubtedly be steep.
To gauge a going rate, we could look back to the 2023 NFL draft—where the Houston Texans made a move to the same slot for that year's top pass rusher in Will Anderson Jr. Houston shipped off the 12th overall pick, the 33rd overall pick, a 2024 first-rounder and a 2024 third-rounder for the third overall pick (Anderson Jr.) and the 105th overall pick.
But would that type of investment be worth it?
Well, it could be to the Panthers—who mustered up a league-low 16.2-percent pressure rate in 2024. In addition, their 59 sacks over the past two seasons were the fewest across the NFL.
Carter recorded 12.5 sacks and an FBS-leading 24 tackles for a loss last year. His efforts earned him a unanimous All-American selection and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Panthers pull off trade for Abdul Carter in new mock
