Round 7: The Carolina Panthers select LB Jackson Kuwatch (Miami of Ohio)

[DaveThePanther2008]

Hopefully, we busted a couple of teams late picks and UDFA dream.  

I usually wait for the UDFA picks to come in but this is the player I want to see in the upcoming OTAs and minicamps. 

[Lurk21]

32 minutes ago, strato said:

I think Cherilus may be beating Wallace out. 

 Yep and Bam Martin Scott flashed too. This guy tho has a ton of intriguing  skills for only 1 year of production. I'm rooting her proves he belongs!! 

[DaveThePanther2008]

Just now, CPF4LIFE said:

Listen...if he shows out in pre season and camp he can competee for serious playing time far as I'm concerned. Folks dont understand we have nothing concrete at LB outside of Lloyd.  Nothing is guaranteed to anybody, whoever shows out will play. 

And you know the rule.  It don't matter what pick you were.  You come in and compete and take the spot. His speed makes him an exciting player to watch.  

[Mother Grabber]

with his size and speed, this dude should have no problem covering TEs once he gets some experience. 

[DaveThePanther2008]

It will be interesting to see what Luke has to say about this kid.  Luke is from Ohio and may have some insight on him.  I know he's not a part of our scouting team, but he has made his opinions known about certain players before.  AKA Rodriguez

[Daddy_Uncle]

36 minutes ago, 45catfan said:

Wrong LB.  We should have went with Red Murdock.  Tackling machine.

Murdock is temu Trevin Wallace

[Daddy_Uncle]

Coach thia kid up and he can turn into something special. He has all the traits. I would love to see if Luke could do some one on one training with him

[45catfan]

34 minutes ago, Basbear said:

One of rules about drafting the longer it goes, the more you factor in up-side. This is a great dart toss, given the deep ILB draft, people like him get lost. 

besides, red could be panther UDFA....

Why I oughta...... jinxing somebitch

Edited April 25 by 45catfan

[Basbear]

Just now, 45catfan said:

Why I oughta...... jinxing somebitch

I 100% blame you!!!

[45catfan]

Nope, he was still on the board until you said he'd be a UDFA.

[Basbear]

8 minutes ago, Lurk21 said:

 Yep and Bam Martin Scott flashed too. This guy tho has a ton of intriguing  skills for only 1 year of production. I'm rooting her proves he belongs!! 

Mike Kye said the team non-stop brags on Bam.

[Basbear]

1 minute ago, 45catfan said:

Nope, he was still on the board until you said he'd be a UDFA.

You brought up his name!!

[45catfan]

Basbear spoke it into being.  He could have been a Panther, but now he's Mr. irrelevant.

[tailg8or]

1 hour ago, panfanman said:

Drafting a player ranked 387th overall when we are in the 7th round (where picks usually fall between 220 and 260) definitely feels like a "reach" on paper, but there is some fascinating logic behind why the we might have pulled the trigger on Jackson Kuwatch.

 

In the 7th round, teams often stop looking at "Big Boards" and start looking at specific traits and special teams value. Here is the breakdown of why he likely ended up in our draft class:

 

1. The "Late Bloomer" Factor

Kuwatch was a walk-on at Ohio State before transferring to Miami (OH). He had almost no production until 2025, when he absolutely exploded:

 

109 tackles

10 tackles for loss

5 sacks

82.1 PFF Grade (which is elite for a linebacker)

Because he only had one year of elite production, the national "ranking" algorithms (like the one showing 387) are often slow to catch up, but NFL scouts saw a 6'4", 235 lb athlete who finally "figured it out."

 

2. Testing vs. Ranking

His rankings might be low, but his Pro Day numbers were top-tier:

 

3-Cone Drill: 6.95 seconds (This would have ranked 2nd among all linebackers at the Combine).

Vertical/Broad Jump: He showed elite "explosive" traits that suggest he can cover ground quickly.

Teams often take a flyer on a guy with "top-of-the-class" agility in the 7th round, regardless of where a website ranks him.

 

3. The "Special Teams Ace" Profile

At 6'4", he has the frame to be a "wedge buster" on kickoffs and the speed to be a gunner on punts. Most 7th-round linebackers are drafted specifically to never see the field on defense, but to play 20+ snaps a game on Special Teams.

 

4. Direct Team Interest

The Colts and Broncos were both heavily scouting him leading up to the draft. If the we knew another team was planning to sign him as a "priority undrafted free agent," we might have used that 7th-round pick just to ensure we didn't lose him to a bidding war after the draft ended.

 

The Verdict:

We essentially traded a "depth" pick for a high-upside developmental athlete. He’s the classic "Dan Morgan" player—gritty, high-motor, and a former walk-on with a chip on his shoulder.

 

He might not be a starter on Day 1, but with his 3-cone speed and 6'4" frame, he’s a prime candidate to become a core special teams leader for us.

I would be good with another Cooper.