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1:03Expectations for Panthers Rookies After Division Win
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9:39JP Acosta Breaks Down 2026's Instant Impact Rookies
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1:13Panthers' Biggest Draft Steal: C Sam Hecht
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9:04Biggest Questions for the NFC South After the 2026 Draft
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10:04NFC South: Bust Alert Players
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1:13Under More Pressure: Josh Allen or Joe Brady?
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1:26AFC East Bust Alert: Geno Smith
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1:17Christian Gonzalez Contract Extension
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1:58Can QB Tyler Shough Elevate the Saints' Offense?
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11:23One Reason For Optimism: NFC South
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10:06Eye on Carolina Panthers
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1:00Panthers' Under-the-Radar Player: RB Jonathon Brooks
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1:03How Bryce Young Can Take the Next Step
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1:27Panthers Already Dealing With Injuries
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1:44NFL Moves Ranked: No. 4 - Bills Acquire DJ Moore
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1:05Panthers 2026 Season: The Cat's Meow or Kitty Litter?
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1:25Impact of Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd Signings
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1:14How Panthers Replace RB Rico Dowdle
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0:59Tetairoa McMillan Can't Wait For Year Two
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Top Sam Hecht News
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Panthers' Sam Hecht: Picked by Panthers
The Panthers selected Hecht in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 144th overall.
Hecht only emerged as starter in his fourth and fifth seasons at Kansas State, but he played very well from that point and otherwise logged pre-draft athletic testing with mostly good results. At 6-foot-4, 303 pounds Hecht has only an average frame by center standards, though, and his 31 and 5/8-inch arms grade as only 13th percentile among centers, according to Mockdraftable. Second-round pick Logan Jones of the Bears had even shorter arms yet, but Jones is something like a 90th-percentile athlete at center while Hecht is probably only something more like a 65th-percentile athlete at center. Either way, there's still a plenty good chance Hecht emerges as an average or better starting center for Carolina, including potentially as soon as 2026. Luke Fortner is the only competition otherwise, and Hecht might be better as a rookie.
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Player Bio
| HT/WT: 6-4, 303 lbs |
| Birthplace: Shawnee, KS |
| Age: 23 |
| School: Kansas State |
| Experience: R |