List of Carolina Panthers first-round draft picks

The Carolina Panthers joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1995 as the league's 29th franchise. Their first ever selection was Kerry Collins, a quarterback from Penn State, in the 1995 NFL Draft. The team's most-recent first-round selection was Jeff Otah, an offensive tackle from the University of Pittsburgh, in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Every year during April, each NFL franchise seeks to add new players to its roster through a collegiate draft officially known as "the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" but more commonly known as the NFL Draft. Teams are ranked in inverse order based on the previous season's record, with the worst record picking first, and the second worst picking second and so on. The two exceptions to this order are made for teams that appeared in the previous Super Bowl; the Super Bowl champion always picks 32nd, and the Super Bowl loser always picks 31st. Teams have the option of trading away their picks to other teams for different picks, players, cash, or a combination thereof. Thus, it is not uncommon for a team's actual draft pick to differ from their assigned draft pick, or for a team to have extra or no draft picks in any round due to these trades. The Panthers have never selected a player first overall; their highest draft selection was second overall in 2002 when they selected Julius Peppers, a defensive end from North Carolina. They would have picked first that year, however, the inception of the Houston Texans that year allowed Houston to pick first instead of Carolina. Carolina had the first overall pick in their inaugural season, but traded the Pick to the Bengals for the 5th and 36th overall selection. The Panthers have twice selected a Miami Hurricanes player in the first round: linebacker Dan Morgan in 2001 and Beason in 2007.

Collins, the team's first ever selection, made the Pro Bowl and led the Panthers to the playoffs in only their second season of existence, but he was later released after struggling on and off the field with alcoholism. Rae Carruth began his career as a promising wide receiver, but he was dropped from the team after being arrested for hiring someone to kill his pregnant girlfriend (he would later be convicted of the crime). Julius Peppers won Rookie of the Year, has been named to the Pro Bowl on several occasions, and is the centerpiece of the Panthers' defensive line. Dan Morgan was also a highly touted Pro Bowl linebacker, but repeated concussions had caused him to miss parts of several seasons until the Panthers released him in 2008. The Panthers drafted Jon Beason in 2007 partially to insure their defense against Morgan's absence.

When the Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars joined the league together in 1995, both teams participated in an expansion draft, where they selected players from 30 existing NFL teams. This list does not include players selected in that draft.

Player selections

 * align="center" | 1999
 * align="center" | —
 * — No Pick
 * align="center" | 2000
 * align="center" |
 * Rashard Anderson
 * Defensive back
 * Jackson State
 * align="center" | 2001
 * align="center" |
 * Dan Morgan
 * Linebacker
 * Miami (FL)
 * Made the Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie Team, and was later selected to play in the Pro Bowl in 2004 and 2005.
 * align="center" | 2002
 * align="center" |
 * Julius Peppers
 * Defensive end
 * North Carolina
 * Won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, made several All-Rookie teams, and has been selected to the Pro Bowl in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2009.
 * align="center" | 2003
 * align="center" |
 * Jordan Gross
 * Offensive tackle
 * Utah
 * Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie Team selection, Sports Illustrated All-Pro team, and 2009 and 2011 Pro Bowl selection.
 * align="center" | 2004
 * align="center" |
 * Chris Gamble
 * Cornerback
 * Ohio State
 * Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie Team selection.
 * align="center" | 2005
 * align="center" |
 * Thomas Davis
 * Safety
 * Georgia
 * align="center" | 2006
 * align="center" |
 * DeAngelo Williams
 * Running back
 * Memphis
 * align="center" | 2007
 * align="center" |
 * Jon Beason
 * Linebacker
 * Miami (FL)
 * Pro Football Weekly/PFWA All-Rookie Team.
 * align="center" | 2008
 * align="center" |
 * Jonathan Stewart
 * Running back
 * Oregon
 * align="center" | 2008
 * align="center" |
 * Jeff Otah
 * Offensive tackle
 * Pittsburgh
 * align="center" | 2009
 * align="center" | —
 * — No Pick
 * align="center" | 2010
 * align="center" | —
 * — No Pick
 * The Panthers traded a 2010 first-round pick (17th overall) to the 49ers for 2009 second- (43rd overall) and fourth-round selections (111th overall).
 * align="center" | 2011
 * align="center" |
 * Cam Newton
 * Quarterback
 * Auburn
 * }
 * align="center" | 2008
 * align="center" |
 * Jeff Otah
 * Offensive tackle
 * Pittsburgh
 * align="center" | 2009
 * align="center" | —
 * — No Pick
 * align="center" | 2010
 * align="center" | —
 * — No Pick
 * The Panthers traded a 2010 first-round pick (17th overall) to the 49ers for 2009 second- (43rd overall) and fourth-round selections (111th overall).
 * align="center" | 2011
 * align="center" |
 * Cam Newton
 * Quarterback
 * Auburn
 * }
 * The Panthers traded a 2010 first-round pick (17th overall) to the 49ers for 2009 second- (43rd overall) and fourth-round selections (111th overall).
 * align="center" | 2011
 * align="center" |
 * Cam Newton
 * Quarterback
 * Auburn
 * }
 * Auburn
 * }
 * }