CHARLOTTE — It's the most wonderful time of the year…for draftniks, at least. The NFL and college football seasons are nearing their respective ends, which means attention is going to quickly turn towards bringing some of those college football stars into the league.

The brightest of those stars will shine tonight on the biggest stage; the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship.

The Carolina Panthers are slotted to pick No. 8 overall in April's NFL draft, meaning the club isn't high enough on the list to have a sure-fire name mocked to the team but is still high enough in the Top 10 to have a shot at a franchise-changing player and make waves throughout the draft.

With that in mind, we look at five players to watch in tonight's CFP matchup between Notre Dame and Ohio State as possible names on the Panthers' big board.

*Only players representing a noted position of need for the Panthers were considered for this list.

Jack Sawyer, Ohio State—EDGE

It is no secret the Panthers' defense will be a focus this offseason. After putting up historically bad numbers, including giving up the most points in NFL history, it was a combination of things—the inability to stop the run, the inability to rush the passer, and the inability to find any sort of magic between those two crucial aspects of the game.

The front seven got a boost when D.J. Wonnum took to the field in Week 10 after a long recovery from a torn quadriceps and subsequent infection. Paired with veteran Jadeveon Clowney, the two helped generate more than twice the number of sacks in the second half of the season (nine in the first eight games versus 23 in the last nine games), but the unit still desperately needs help and more consistent production.

Jack Sawyer could help with that.

The fourth-year EDGE rusher has a career-best six sacks this season heading into his final game. He has also forced three fumbles and even nabbed an interception. He also has 58 quarterback pressures, ranking 10th among all FBS EDGE defenders. In the CFP Semifinal against Texas, Sawyer also returned a fumble 83-yards for a touchdown.

In the spirit of transparency, if Penn State had won in the last round to play in this game, this entry would have been Abdul Carter.

Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State—WR

The Buckeyes have a history of producing NFL-ready and polished wide receivers. Egbuka is no different. Ranked as Pro Football Focus' best slot receiver in tonight's game, the fourth-year receiver is tied for fourth in the FBS with nine receiving touchdowns when lined up in the slot. According to PFF, he also excels on out routes, crossers, and screens. Essentially, he can take advantage of the intermediate part of the field in whatever way a team needs.

Egbuka might not have the name recognition of some of the other receivers that have come out of Ohio State, and he's playing with a freshman, Jeremiah Smith, who is dominating the game this year. But Egbuka is a consistent producer who has already had one 1,000+ yard season and is on the verge (53 yards) from another.

He is also three receptions and 95 yards away from setting an Ohio State record for receptions and receiving yards. Considering the names that have passed through that program, it's proof positive Egbuka can be a foundational piece for a team. As the Panthers look to continue to build around quarterback Bryce Young, having wide receivers who can be those foundational pieces can't be overstated.

Jack Kiser, Notre Dame—Linebacker

The Panthers' linebackers corps was in flux for much of the season. After Shaq Thompson went down in Week 4, Josey Jewell's role changed, and he was joined by rookie Trevin Wallace. The two had just begun to find a groove when injuries plagued both of them at various times throughout the remainder of the season.

Injury streaks aren't unheard of in the NFL. When they happen, though, having consistent and reliable depth becomes extremely important.

The Panthers showed they aren't afraid to rely on a rookie backer, turning Wallace into a starter so soon. That could bode well for someone like Jack Kiser, who PFF grades as the surest tackler in tonight's Natty, with a mere 4 percent missed tackle rate. He has 85 tackles this season, his fifth year playing.

Xavier Watts, Notre Dame—Safety

The Panthers have one safety currently under contract for the 2025 season; undrafted rookie Demani Richardson. Granted, Richardson turned out to be a gem for Ejiro Evero's defense in his first year, with 51 total tackles, an interception, and two passes defended while playing less than 40 percent of the defensive snaps this season.

While Dan Morgan could still bring back any of the safeties set to become free agents, the likelihood of bringing in a new face, or faces, is high.

Xavier Watts is a ball-hawk through and through. He has 13 interceptions over the past two seasons, more than any other college football player in that span. His six this season are currently tied for second in FBS with a game to play, and his seven last season finished tied for first in college football. He also has eight passes defended.

Watts is farther down the list of tackling safeties, with 75 this season. If the Panthers defense can shore up their front seven, though, and keep running backs from getting to the second level, that won't be as needed.

Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame—Running Back

It's unlikely the Panthers will take a running back, at least not very high in this year's draft, after picking Jonathon Brooks No. 42 overall last April. Brooks will miss much of the 2025 season, recovering from his second ACL tear in a year, but along with Chuba Hubbard, Brooks is a long-term plan for Carolina.

Speaking of Hubbard, the 1,000-yard back proved this season that he can be the workhorse who doesn't need a spell. This gives the Panthers breathing room to get through 2025 with Hubbard and supplemental backs before Brooks returns to carry the load.

Still…keep an eye on Jeremiyah Love. Because of Brooks' injury, some of the Panthers' RB plans are fluid, at least in theory. It's also hard to turn down a talent like Love, who graded out as PFF's third-best running back this season, behind only Ashton Jeanty and Cam Skattebo (both Heisman candidates).

And even if Love is nowhere near the Panthers draft board, he is just a fun player to watch with a bruising run style that harkens to days of old.