But they’ve been here before. This is the third time in franchise history the Panthers have held the No. 1 overall pick.
In 1995, the expansion team won a coin flip with Jacksonville for the first pick and eventually ended up trading down to the fifth spot and taking quarterback Kerry Collins.
In 2011, they earned the top pick the hard way, and used the top pick on quarterback Cam Newton.
Both choices paid immediate dividends.
Collins helped lead the Panthers to a 12-4 record, the NFC South title, and the NFC Championship Game in just their second season.
Newton became the first rookie quarterback to throw for over 4,000 yards and also broke the record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback that year (14). He also won league MVP honors in 2015, leading the Panthers to a 15-1 record and a berth in Super Bowl 50.
The Panthers can only hope this deal works out as well.
It came at a significant cost, as they gave up this year’s first-round pick (ninth overall), a second-rounder obtained from the 49ers (61st), their 2024 first-rounder, their 2025 second-rounder, along with wide receiver DJ Moore.
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