Monroe Freeling’s NFL Transition | Carolina Panthers News

Monroe Freeling, the Panthers’ 19th overall pick in the 2026 draft, reflects on his whirlwind journey from draft day—where even his phone call was screened by Siri—to training camp and the cusp of the NFL season. Still rocking 31 leftover team hats from his mom’s draft party, he admits rookie minicamp felt good but exposed his lack of football shape. OTAs were milder, but pads on in training camp? That’s when it truly hit him. Switched to right tackle just days before camp (despite most college snaps on the left), he’s grinding to master new hip movement and kicking off his left leg. He’s improving his sets, even if a recent pass-rush drill against elite defenders like Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter didn’t go as planned. Focused on refining hand placement—especially his left hand—he’s pushing himself to be more effective on the right side. As kickoff nears, he’s bracing for nerves (natural, he says) but staying grounded: just want to have fun, play football, and be himself—for himself and his family. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/86df7f881f7a182a