Would Matayo Uiagalelei help the Panthers anemic pass rush?

Even though the 2025 NFL season just started, it’s never too early to look ahead toward the 2026 NFL Draft. This weekly series will take a closer look at some of the prospects the Carolina Panthers could select in the 2026 iteration of the Draft. In this series, we’ll only be looking at prospects the Panthers could seriously consider. This week our profile will focus on Oregon Ducks edge defender Matayo Uiagalelei.

Bio

Uiagalelei, younger brother of former Clemson quarterback DJ, was a five star prospect coming out of a highly touted California high school. Matayo was a two way player in high school, splitting time between edge defender and tight end. He showed flashes of dominance as a true freshman, notching a couple sacks, and really blossomed as a pass rusher his sophomore season, finishing with a Big 10 leading 10.5 sacks. Uiagalelei cooled off a bit this season, only notching five sacks so far. Still, the dominant speed rush is still there in flashes. We’ll see how he looks as his Ducks continue their trek through the College Football Playoff.

Strengths/Weaknesses

Uiagalelei has ideal size for an edge defender at 6’5” and 275 lbs. His athleticism is also on full display when you watch him play. His elite first step puts tackles at an immediate disadvantage in pass protection, and his lateral agility allows him to make stops on the backside of running plays. Mentally, he’s got everything defensive coordinators love: natural instincts, a nasty demeanor, and edge discipline. He also has experience in multiple fronts and gaps, showing the ability to line up as a stand up OLB or a DE in a three point stance.

Uiagalelei’s main struggle seems to be his play strength. He doesn’t have very many counter moves, instead relying on pure athleticism to win against the pass. He also is occasionally pushed off the line by bigger, stronger linemen. He will definitely need to add functional strength to his frame in order to be a three down player at the next level.

Projection

Uiagalelei will likely be a fringe first rounder come April depending on his performance in the CFP and the Combine. If he completely blows the physicals out of the water at the Combine, I’d imagine he jumps into the middle of the first. While he has shown some improvement against the run this season, teams will likely still view him as a pass rush specialist. He might be able to contribute on special teams, but his tackling technique is not super consistent.

The Panthers invested heavily in defensive linemen and edge defenders last offseason, but they could continue to stockpile talent there. If Ejiro Evero returns as defensive coordinator, Uiagalelei has the height/weight combination that Evero likes in his edges. The Panthers did spend a day two pick on a similar player in Princely Umanmielen, but Uiagalelei has more size. The defense can’t seem to get to the quarterback consistently, so a player with the first step and bend Uiagalelei has could definitely help the pass rush.

What do you think, Panthers fans? If Matayo Uiagalelei is available when the Panthers select in the 2026 NFL Draft, should they take him? Sound off in the comments!