Cat Scratch Reader
As the 2025 NFL Draft inches closer, let’s dive deeper into each position group to see where the talent and depth are.
Now that the NFL season is over, the Carolina Panthers are locked into the number eight overall pick of the first round. They also have the Los Angeles Rams’ second round pick (pick 57), their own third (74) and fourth (110), the Dallas Cowboys’ fourth (113), the New York Giants’ fifth (141), their own fifth (147), the Baltimore Ravens’ fifth (164), and the Arizona Cardinals’ seventh (229). The exact number of some of these picks is subject to change based on playoffs results, and the Panthers could (and probably will) make trades involving these picks and/or obtaining others. Because the Panthers have picks in almost every round of the Draft, let’s take a deep dive into each of the position groups making up this year’s crop of players. Obviously some of these players could be listed at different positions depending on who you ask, so I tried to include realistic options for each position. For example, some edge defenders might be listed as defensive linemen on some sites. Today, we’ll look at the safeties.
This Draft has a lot of top tier talent, with up to five corners potentially going in the first round. The class is led by Colorado Buffalos phenom Travis Hunter. Hunter is a fantastic corner and a pretty good receiver. Will Johnson from the Michigan Wolverines could also be a top ten pick in April despite an injury last season. Rounding out the top of the class are Shavon Revel Jr (ECU Pirates), Jahdae Barron (Texas Longhorns), and Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame Fighting Irish). Each of those players bring unique strengths, so where they get drafted will depend on what teams are looking for.
After those five, Trey Amos of the Ole Miss Rebels will likely be the next cornerback to hear his name called. He could even sneak into Day One if a run on corners happens in the back half of the first round. Aside from Amos, most of the depth corners are developmental guys. Zy Alexander from the LSU Tigers has the size and ball-hawking ability to potentially play in man or zone schemes at the next level. Florida State Seminoles corner Azareye’h Thomas likely won’t be a press-man corner in the NFL, but he could stick as a boundary corner in zone schemes and has played safety in college to provide some flexibility.
Late round corners always have some major flaw that makes them drop to Day 3. For Iowa Hawkeye Jermari Harris, that weakness is athleticism. He has flashed ball skills and has the length and physicality to be a press man corner, but he doesn’t have the elite athleticism that other corners in the Draft have. O’Donnell Fortune of the Florida State Seminoles has a size issue. He is very lean with average arm length but is exceptional in pattern...
