2026 NFL Draft: Panthers reinforce offensive line with athletic Georgia's Monroe Freeling originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan drafted for need during Thursday's opening round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

With pick No. 19, Morgan selected offensive tackle Monroe Freeling. The former Georgia standout is expected to play an immediate rotational role in 2026.

Ranked by ESPN as the draft's No. 2 tackle and 14th overall prospect, Freeling, who is capable of playing on both sides of the line, likely will start behind veteran right tackle Taylor Moton and left tackle Rasheed Walker, a free-agent signee who signed a one-year deal.

Fifth-year tackle Ikem Ekwonu suffered a ruptured patellar tendon during the NFC Wild Card game last January and is expected to miss at least half of the upcoming season.

Confident over filling most of the Panthers' glaring roster holes through free agency, Morgan anticipated having "a lot of possibilities. I think all positions are on the table."

To shore up the tackle position, Morgan reached for a versatile lineman who, according to Scouts Inc., possesses "the prototypical frame for an NFL offensive tackle."

Listed at 6-foot-7, 315 pounds, Freeling stepped into a starting role for the Bulldogs last season. Despite making only 17 SEC starts, Freeling displayed a quick first step and the ability to control opponents with a blend of flexibility and power.

With the Bulldogs, Freeling often made his way to the second level of the defense. That ability could fit well with the Panthers' run-first approach.

Scouts Inc. suggested there are things Freeling needs to work on durign the upcoming offseason program.

"There are times when Freeling stops moving his feet on contact and he can be beaten off the edge by speed," the scouting service revealed.