Ohio State Buckeyes safety Lathan Ransom (8) celebrates after winning against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Carolina Panthers enter Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft with upgraded depth at wide receiver and outside linebacker. But there’s still plenty of work to be done.
General manager Dan Morgan still has five picks to play with on Saturday, and he is likely to work around the board to upgrade several other positions.
Who will join Tetairoa McMillan, Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen within this year’s draft class? Stay tuned to this live tracker for updates throughout the third and final day of a whirlwind draft:
Fourth round (122nd pick): Panthers take Ohio State DB Lathan Ransom
The Panthers beefed up the shallow safety depth chart with their second pick in the fourth round.
The team added Ohio State defensive back Lathan Ransom with the 122nd overall pick on Saturday. The move gives the Panthers depth behind Tre’von Moehrig.
Ransom, a Tuscon, Arizona, native, is coming off a five-year tenure with the Buckeyes. He produced 227 total tackles (18 for loss), 3.5 sacks, three interceptions, and six forced fumbles during that tenure. The 6-foot, 206-pound safety will come in and compete for a notable role against Demani Richardson and Nick Scott in training camp, and he could be an asset on special teams.
Ransom is known for his physicality, and his sack, forced fumble and interception numbers show he has a knack for making big plays. Ransom has NFL size and the versatility to play multiple positions in the secondary, including big nickel.
The Panthers will now look to close out strong with two remaining picks in the fifth round and one standing pick in the sixth round.
Fourth round (114th pick): Panthers select Georgia RB Trevor Etienne
Georgia running back Trevor Etienne (1) breaks away for a big gain during the second half of the SEC championship game against Texas in Atlanta, on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Panthers upgraded their running back depth chart early in the fourth round on Saturday.
The team selected Georgia RB Trevor Etienne with the 114th overall pick, adding to their draft haul with four more selections remaining on their docket. The pick was acquired in the trade deadline deal with the Dallas Cowboys for wideout Jonathon Mingo.
Etienne, a native of Jennings, Louisiana, joins a depth chart featuring Chuba Hubbard, Rico Dowdle, Jonathon Brooks and Raheem Blackshear. The 5-foot-9, 198-pound playmaker will look to earn playing time immediately, and there’s a gateway to do that at the position, as Brooks is expected to miss most — if not all — of the upcoming season after ACL surgery.
Running back was clearly a need entering the draft weekend, and Etienne, at worst, should at least fill in a depth role in 2025. The young ball-carrier is the younger brother of Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne, so he should be well-prepared and educated on the rigors of the NFL.
During his three-year college career at Florida (2022 to 2023) and Georgia (2024), Etienne produced 2,081 rushing yards, 432 receiving yards, and 24 total touchdowns. He also ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in February.
Perhaps most notably though, Etienne has plenty of returner experience. In college, he returned 17 kickoffs for 645 yards (24.8 per return). The Panthers could view him as competition, and a potential successor, for Blackshear in that regard.
The Panthers still have an additional fourth-round pick, as well as two fifth-round picks and a sixth-round pick to use this weekend.
Notable names still on the board entering Day 3
Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. (2) celebrates an interception in the first half of the Red River Rivalry college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorn at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas, Saturday, Oct., 12, 2024. SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN USA TODAY NETWORK
▪ Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
▪ Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State
▪ Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
▪ Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
▪ Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame
▪ Zeek Biggers, DT, Georgia Tech
▪ JJ Pegues, DT, Ole Miss
▪ Kyle Kennard, DE, South Carolina
▪ Kobe King, ILB, Penn State
▪ Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
▪ R.J. Mickens, S, Clemson
▪ Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse
▪ Quincy Riley, CB, Louisville
▪ Mello Dotson, CB, Kansas
▪ Willie Lampkin, C, UNC
▪ Hollin Pierce, OT, Rutgers
▪ Raheim Sanders, RB, South Carolina
▪ DJ Giddens, RB, Kansas State
▪ Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Syracuse
▪ Andres Borregales, K, Miami
▪ Tyler Loop, K, Arizona
▪ Alijah Huzzie, CB, UNC
▪ Teddye Buchanan, LB, California
▪ Jordan Phillips, DT, Maryland
▪ Torricelli Simpkins III, C, South Carolina
Panthers’ Day 3 picks
Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
▪ Fifth round (2): 140th overall (via Giants), 163rd overall pick (via Ravens)
▪ Sixth round: 208th overall (via Broncos)
Previous selections
Ole Miss defensive lineman Princely Umanmielen (1) waits for the snap during a 2024 game against Furman at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
▪ First round: Eighth overall: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
▪ Second round: 51st overall (via Broncos): Nic Scourton, DE/OLB, Texas A&M
▪ Third round: 77th overall (via Patriots): Princely Umanmielen, OLB, Mississippi
▪ Fourth round (2): 114th overall (via Cowboys): Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia; 122nd overall (via Broncos): Lathan Ransom, S, Ohio State
Notable positions of need
Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee USA TODAY NETWORK
▪ Safety
▪ Inside linebacker
▪ Tight end
▪ Kicker
▪ Kick returner
▪ Cornerback
This story was originally published April 26, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
