The Carolina Panthers looked to address the offensive line in Round 1 of the NFL Draft, selecting tackle Monroe Freeling from the Georgia Bulldogs. For Freeling, it was a dream come true in multiple respects. Not only was he headed to the NFL, but he got to stay at home in the Carolinas.
After getting the call that he would be the No 19 overall pick, Freeling spoke to several media members. He was visibly thrilled.
“I didn’t imagine this, and I’m so happy that this is the case,” Freeling said. “I get to stay up 3 hours from home.”
Freeling is a native of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, where he would become one of the top offensive line recruits in the country. From there, he went on to Georgia, where he played in 35 games, earning 17 starts. In 2025, he would flash his upside and was a Second-Team All-SEC selection.
Monroe Freeling Recounted Being Selected by the Carolina Panthers
GettyMonroe Freeling at the NFL Combine
It was a surprise for Monroe Freeling when he got the call from the Carolina Panthers. After all, they weren’t on the clock, per the TV broadcast. However, once he did, it quickly hit him that he was staying close to home.
“I think Detroit was still on the clock, and I got a call, and I was like, hold on, let me pick this up, and they’re like, ‘Hey, this is the Carolina Panthers.’ I was like, ‘No way. There’s just no way,’” Freeling said.
“It was surreal, and it’s still surreal, and I don’t even know if it’s set in quite yet that I’m staying home and I’m only a three-hour drive from home, and it’s closer than I was in Athens, so it’s still not really setting in yet. But I imagine that in the next 24 hours, maybe even the next week, it’s going to really hit me that I’m here and I’m blocking for a former teammate of mine, and it’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”
Despite where Freeling grew up, he admitted he wasn’t necessarily a Panthers fan. He wasn’t necessarily a fan of any individual NFL team. It was 2016 when his family landed in the Carolinas, after all, but he quickly embraced this area as his home.
“I didn’t grow up with really allegiance to any NFL team, but I came here in, I think 2016 we moved to South Carolina. But, I know a lot of Carolina fans that are kind of around me, just being in the area, and the fact that I really claim Carolina more than I claim where I used to be from in Oregon, so it’s like now that I get to really claim Carolina for real, it’s awesome,” Freeling added.
“I get to basically stay at home, and I didn’t do that through the college recruiting process, so I guess I owe it to my Carolina fans. I don’t even know if it’s set in quite yet that I’m staying home…I imagine that in the next 24 hours, maybe even the next week, it’s going to really hit me that I’m here and it’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”
The Panthers Got Good Value for Freeling
GettyMonroe Freeling with the Georgia Bulldogs
The first round of the NFL Draft saw a run on offensive linemen and tackles in particular. That can lead to some panicked picking, but based on Mel Kiper’s pre-draft rankings, there is some good value with the pick.
On Kiper’s Big Board, he ranked Freeling as the third-best offensive tackle. On top of that, Kiper had him ranked as the 13th-best player overall. So, getting him at No. 19 is a good spot overall, especially as the fifth tackle selected.
There’s no doubt that Freeling is still developing and has less experience than several other tackles. Carolina will need to develop him, but he certainly has the upside to be great.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Panthers Draft Pick Monroe Freeling Reacts to Staying at Home in the Carolinas appeared first on Heavy Sports.