Carolina Panthers will pick 8th in the 2021 NFL draft. Here is the draft order.

Jonathan M. Alexander
·2 min read

The Carolina Panthers (5-11) will pick eighth in the 2021 NFL draft, locking up their second top-10 pick in as many years

Last year, the Panthers picked No. 7 overall and chose defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who had a solid season for the Panthers. He had 34 tackles, two sacks and eight tackles for loss in 2020. He was one of seven defensive players the Panthers chose in the 2020 NFL draft.

The Panthers’ draft status was contingent upon Sunday’s game between Washington Football Team and the Philadelphia Eagles. Washington won, 20-14. Had the Eagles won, the Panthers would have had the No. 7 pick. But the Eagles fell to 4-11-1 and will pick No. 6, moving the Panthers down one spot.

The Panthers were already guaranteed a top-13 pick entering this past Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. However, that 33-7 loss at home, coupled with the New York Giants’ win over the Dallas Cowboys ensured the Panthers would pick in the top 8.

Carolina was in line for a higher pick before its 20-13 win over Washington last week. Had the Panthers lost that game, and the game against the Saints, they would have picked No. 3.

This will be the ninth time the Panthers have picked in the top 10 since their first draft in 1995. Those top 10 picks include Brown, Christian McCaffrey, Luke Kuechly, Cam Newton, Jordan Gross, Julius Peppers, Tim Biakabutuka, and Kerry Collins.

Here is a look at the draft order:

2021 NFL draft order

  • 1. Jacksonville Jaguars

  • 2. New York Jets

  • 3. Miami Dolphins

  • 4. Cincinnati Bengals

  • 5. Atlanta Falcons

  • 6. Philadelphia Eagles

  • 7. Detroit Lions

  • 8. Carolina Panthers

  • 9. Denver Broncos

  • 10. Dallas Cowboys

  • 11. New York Giants

  • 12. San Francisco 49ers

  • 13. LA Chargers

  • 14. Minnesota Vikings

  • 15. New England Patriots

  • 16. Arizona Cardinals

  • 17. Las Vegas Raiders

  • 18. Miami Dolphins