Panthers may make surprise pick at this position in the 1st round of the 2025 draft . . .

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With the 2025 NFL draft now less than a month away, the Carolina Panthers and their first-round pick have kinda been pigeonholed into just a few possible avenues. That selection—the eighth overall of this year's queue—has routinely been linked to either an edge defender, a wide receiver, a tight end or a defensive back.

But what if general manager Dan Morgan and the front office don't use the pick on one of those spots?

What if they go out of the box, and use it on an area that doesn't even present an immediate need?

Well, if they do, keep an eye on the offensive tackle position—as noted by team reporter Darin Gantt in his latest mailbag feature for Panthers.com.

Gantt, when asked about the pick, wrote the following:

As to whether he's the guy at No. 8, it's too soon to say. But I do think there's a chance the top pick (if that's where they end up picking) doesn't necessarily play defense. When Dan Morgan talks about taking the long view and picking the best player, I'm inclined to trust him. If that's the right receiver, I could see it. If it's a tight end, maybe (a running back, maybe not). A quarterback? No. Been there. But what if it's a tackle? Remember that list of 16 guys under contract through 2027 or beyond? None of them play tackle. Morgan has said they want to extend Ikem Ekwonu, and as good and steady as Taylor Moton has been, he's in the final year of his deal. So I don't think you can cross that off any more than you'd cross off cornerback just because you've signed Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson.

As noted by Gantt, the Panthers are interested in extending Ekwonu—the sixth overall pick from the 2022 draft. Morgan expressed that interest at the beginning of the offseason.

"Yeah, I think Ickey fits right in there," he told reporters in early January. "We think a lot of Ickey. I think he's got better every single year. I think he made strides this season. I think [offensive line coach] Joe Gilbert and his staff have done a really good job with the O-line in general. So, yeah, I see Ickey as a piece that we want around here for a long time."

The future for Moton, who turns 31 years old in August, seems at least a little less uncertain. Despite being one of the game's most reliable right tackles over the better part of his eight-year career, Moton may be lost to free agency come 2026.

To soften the potential loss, the Panthers could make a strength even stronger and draft his successor at No. 8. If so, that short list would likely feature Louisiana State University's Will Campbell and the University of Missouri's Armand Membou.

So in the meantime, don't discount those young hog mollies, Panthers fans.

This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers could make surprise pick at this position in 2025 draft . . .

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