Highlights for Panthers 2026 2nd-round pick Lee Hunter

The Carolina Panthers are going to have to make room for a fridge in the middle of their defensive line.

Keeping it in the trenches during the early goings of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Panthers selected Texas Tech nose tackle Lee Hunter at this year's 49th overall spot on Friday night. Carolina had to leap up to that position in a second-round swap, sending the 51st and 159th picks to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the 49th and 196th picks.

So, what are the Panthers getting in their latest big-bodied selection?

Here are the highlights from Hunter's 2025 campaign with the Red Raiders:

Hunter finished his lone season in Lubbock with 41 combined tackles and 2.5 sacks. His efforts earned him a first-team All-American nod and a first-team All-SEC nod.

The 6-foot-3, 318-pounder split his previous three collegiate campaigns between Auburn (2021) and Central Florida (2022 to 2024). He left the latter as a second-team All-Big 12 member from 2024.

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Highlights for Panthers 2nd-round pick Lee Hunter