Panthers land C Sam Hecht, 6-4 303

The Carolina Panthers used the 144th overall pick on Kansas State center Sam Hecht, a Day 3 move aimed at the middle of their offensive line. (panthers.com) Hecht is 6-foot-4 and 303 pounds, and Carolina took him in the fifth round on April 25 after trading around the board earlier in the day. (panthers.com) (sports.yahoo.com) The Panthers entered the draft needing help at center after Cade Mays left for Detroit and Austin Corbett left for Buffalo in free agency. Luke Fortner arrived on a one-year deal, and Hecht now joins that competition. (panthers.com) General manager Dan Morgan said Hecht will “have a chance to compete,” pointing to his quickness, angles and hand use. Carolina also said center was a priority because of the communication and protection calls tied to the position. (panthers.com) Hecht arrives with a college résumé that explains why Carolina waited on the position but still targeted it. He was a former walk-on at Kansas State, started the last two seasons, and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2025. (panthers.com) (kstatesports.com) His production was unusually clean for an interior lineman. Pro Football Focus credited Hecht with an 80.3 overall grade in 2025, fourth among 307 qualified centers, with zero sacks, zero quarterback hits and zero penalties allowed. (pff.com) Pre-draft rankings suggested he lasted longer than expected. Sporting News, citing ESPN, said Hecht was ranked the No. 2 center in the class and the No. 80 overall prospect before Carolina got him at No. 144. (sportingnews.com) Carolina framed the pick as part of a broader offensive line refresh. The team used its first-round pick on tackle Monroe Freeling and said the draft added youth to a line with veterans Robert Hunt, Damien Lewis and Taylor Moton. (panthers.com) For Hecht, the path is straightforward: win snaps in camp and push Fortner for the job Bryce Young depends on most. For Carolina, the bet is that a fifth-round center can solve a starting need. (panthers.com)