It is not easy to forget the horrors of the 2024 Carolina Panthers defense—a unit that gave up the most points in a single season and allowed the most rushing yards per game by a significant margin.
So, general manager Dan Morgan went to work this offseason. He signed defensive linemen Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III, pass rusher Pat Jones II, linebacker Christian Rozeboom and safety Tre’von Moehrig, then drafted two more edge defenders in Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen and another safety in Lathan Ransom.
But one addition that has gone under the radar is the selection of fifth-round lineman Cam Jackson.
Let’s take a closer look to see what the University of Florida standout can bring to the table for the Panthers, in the short term and in the long haul.
Film
Before hitting ‘Play’ on the All-22, Jackson already stands out with a large frame at 6-foot-6, 339 pounds and 34-inch arms. This is the type of beef the Panthers were desperate for during the offseason.
Jackson brings a wealth of power to his game, exhibiting outstanding natural power at the point of attack and the play strength to collapse gaps and pockets. He has violent, jolting hands that generate push and displacement at the line of scrimmage.
Watch below in the first clip, as Jackson is able to create leverage and shoot his hands into the chest plate of the opposing blocker and drive them back towards the ball carrier’s track. The second clip shows just how powerful he is against centers and guards, pushing them deep into the pocket to generate pressure.
You won’t probably won’t see Jackson become a sack artist in the pros. He lacks variety as a pass rusher when attacking the pocket, outside of an attempt at speed-to-power, and is not a twitchy get-off player by any stretch of the imagination. However, there is an appreciation for defensive linemen who know that when their rushes stall, they can get their arms up and disrupt the passing windows in their vicinity.
That is what Jackson displays below . . .
Jackson has shown to play with active hands, demonstrated in his violent nature. He does a consistent job of gaining accurate punches and control of the blocker in front of him, creating complete stalemates at the point of attack.
Combine that with his raw power and strength, and he becomes a menace in the middle of the trenches—just like in the play below. Jackson showed in Gainesville, and against SEC competition, that he is capable of one- and two-gap assignments.
Outlook
Given Carolina’s free-agent additions and the return of Pro Bowler Derrick Brown, it’s important to understand that Jackson likely won’t see the field consistently in 2025. He will need some patience as he develops.
Even so, Jackson has the capability to serve as a great backup piece at nose tackle due to his combination of size, length, power, heavy hands and natural leverage. He projects as a long-term A-gap defender who can wreck an opposing team’s run game while offering sufficient depth early on.
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