Sports Illustrated's way-too-early 2026 NFL mock draft has Florida football defensive lineman Caleb Banks taken in the first round.

Their work has been praised by draft pundits, who believe they filled their greatest needs — and did so without reaching. That doesn’t mean every pick is immune to criticism.

NFL draft was so good to the Carolina Panthers that we're already looking forward to next year's selection process. Here, courtesy of a few fresh mock drafts, are the (very, very, very) early first-round projections for the Panthers in 2026 .