CHARLOTTE — The 2025 NFL draft is now less than a month away. Teams are updating their big board every day, welcoming in prospects for visits, and evaluating their current rosters every minute of every day. Only a select few in each building know what a club might due when the first round quicks off on April 24 in Green Bay, but between now and then, we will take a look at different positions of need for the Carolina Panthers, and how they might be addressed in the upcoming draft.

The Panthers currently have nine picks:

• Rd. 1, No. 8 overall
• Rd. 2, No 57 overall (from Rams)
• Rd. 3, No. 74 overall
• Rd. 4, No. 111 overall
• Rd. 4, No. 114 overall (from Cowboys)
• Rd. 5, No. 140 overall (from Giants)
• Rd. 5, No. 146 overall
• Rd. 5, No. 163 overall (from Ravens)
• Rd. 7, No. 230 overall (from Cardinals)

Position previews are an aggregation from the opinion and analysis of various draft websites and mock drafts. Analysis by the Panthers editorial staff does not reflect the Panthers football staff and front office.

Next up is running back.

The Panthers running back unit has seen small but impactful changes this offseason thus far. Chuba Hubbard was signed to extension during the season. Raheem Blackshear was signed to a new deal this spring, and the team said goodbye to Miles Sanders before signing free agent Rico Dowdle to a one-year deal. The latter adds a 1,000-yard rusher to the backfield to supplement Hubbard, who is coming off his own 1,000-plus yard season.

Ashton Jeanty — Boise State

If one were to build a perfect running back, one might get Ashton Jeanty. He has size, speed, vision, power, cutting ability. Everything you could want in an offensive weapon who can make an immediate impact. The Boise State back and Heisman finalist picked up 2,601 yards on the ground, the most since 1988, when Barry Sanders had 2,628 yards. His 30 total touchdowns (29 on the ground, one receiving) was second-most in FBS this season.

Omarion Hampton — North Carolina

A North Carolina native, Hampton stepped into a Tar Heels offense that lost Drake Maye and took control. He finished with the third-most rushing yards in college football this year with 1,771 yards, and second-most per game, with 138.33 ypg. He's fast (he ran a 4.4 at the combine) and big. At 6-0, 220 pounds he can take hits to stay up for yards-after-contact, but his vision will need to improve as he adjusts to the NFL level.

Cam Skattebo — Arizona State

For anyone that was sleeping on Arizona State during the regular season, Cam Skattebo demanded your attention during the College Football Playoffs. He put together one of the more impressive singular performances we've seen in years, with 30 carries for 143 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, plus eight receptions for 99 yards against Texas in the quarterfinal. He also threw a 42-yard touchdown pass, just to round out his resume as a triple threat. He was second in the FBS in rushing yards (1,771) and all-purpose yards with (2,316) both behind Jeanty. Skattebo has a smaller stature at 5-10 and 219 pounds, but his 40-yard dash at a private workout was reportedly in the 4.6 range. It's a slower speed that will likely put Skattebo in the Day 3 tier. It could be the right spot for him, or could make Skattebo the biggest steal of the draft.

Dylan Sampson — Tennessee

Sampson doesn't have the numbers of Jeanty or Hampton, but the SEC Offensive Player of the Year proved his ability with a heavy workload in a bruising SEC. he finished with 1,491 yards, still in the Top 10 in the FBS, and his 22 rushing touchdowns were tied for fourth in college football. He's a bit of a bowling ball at 5-11 201 pounds, and uses that to gain yards-after-contact.

Treveyon Henderson — Ohio State

Henderson was lost in the shuffle at times of an offense that leaned on the downfield passing game, as well as sharing the backfield with another 1,000-plus yard back (Quinshon Judkins). As a result, Henderson's stat line of 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns will allow some team to swoop in on Day 3 and grab a guy that has proven speed and the ability to catch out of the backfield (27 receptions for 284 yards and a touchdown in 2024). His play to break up a pass that was a sure interception against Notre Dame's Xavier Watts in the National Championship stands out as an example of his football IQ.