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

[SmokinwithWilly]

Big daddy Dave has the cash. Spend some on some the udfa we want. That's how we got Coker. We offered more than anyone else. 

[Lurk21]

19 minutes ago, Basbear said:

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

He has all the talent too... just have to shed the special teams hype by getting a few more reps!!

[Basbear]

20 minutes ago, 45catfan said:

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

[rmoneyg35]

This is the kind of picks I like. Look at his story, it’s very possible he was a great football player that just fell between the cracks. He was a walk on at Ohio state for a few years. The talent that would be ahead of him probably prevented him from playing. You also had more experienced players and having to deal with the politics of the team as they probably wasn’t going to give an unproven walk on a job over a 4-5 star recruit that they gave a scholarship to. The linebackers at Ohio state were nfl players, many first round picks.

 

he goes to Miami, has a great season but doesn’t get a lot of attention cause it’s a small team. So I’m seeing he didn’t even get a combine invite? So that means not many teams were able to see his physical traits. He did well at his pro day. 
 

he could end up being a diamond in the rough. He can make the team by playing special teams, get used to the nfl and work his way up.

[Shotgun]

2 hours ago, Jon Snow said:

Think Special Teams folks. 

I was thinking practice squad.

[Jon Snow]

Just now, Shotgun said:

I was thinking practice squad.

Not if other teams were looking at him. If he can't that and warrant a roster spot that sire. But I think he wouldn't clear waiver. 

[csx]

Why would you be concerned that he would be so impressive that another team wants to sign him to their active roster but we wouldn't when we haave a need there. After lasting until round 7. 

[strato]

7th round. Trade chart value near the bottom. Afterthought.  
 

He has good size and excellent speed and is a willing special teamer. Position group he joins has probably the lowest floor of all our groups. He has a great chance to make team. 
If he does, he’ll have eyes on him for ILB snaps. 

Edited April 26 by strato

[Jackie Lee]

Ok, well better than nothing. Looks a bit awkward but willing to do the job so either he'll just be special teams for a few years or they can actually coach him up. I generally don't really like when we draft project players early but 7th round sure. I guess they're betting Devin Lloyd will buy them some time before they take a big swing at the position in the next draft or two. 

[strato]

12 minutes ago, Jackie Lee said:

Ok, well better than nothing. Looks a bit awkward but willing to do the job so either he'll just be special teams for a few years or they can actually coach him up. I generally don't really like when we draft project players early but 7th round sure. I guess they're betting Devin Lloyd will buy them some time before they take a big swing at the position in the next draft or two. 

What else are you gonna do with a 7th besides gamble it on a long shot? They are just about all long shots that late. 
But getting a solid ST guy that can be LB depth, I would consider that a win. 
 

Odds are that even if he somehow gets to be a starter he won’t be a long term starter. They’ll upgrade. He could eat off of being a ST/depth guy for a while though. 

[Jackie Lee]

33 minutes ago, strato said:

What else are you gonna do with a 7th besides gamble it on a long shot? They are just about all long shots that late. 
But getting a solid ST guy that can be LB depth, I would consider that a win. 
 

Odds are that even if he somehow gets to be a starter he won’t be a long term starter. They’ll upgrade. He could eat off of being a ST/depth guy for a while though. 

Ohio guy and he says he likes the film room, I'm sure Luke will like that and get in his ear and show him a few things that even coaches don't know how to teach

[strato]

36 minutes ago, Jackie Lee said:

Ohio guy and he says he likes the film room, I'm sure Luke will like that and get in his ear and show him a few things that even coaches don't know how to teach

Yeah he said Luke was his favorite player.  Now he will be in the building with him. 
Seeing them get their dream to being a reality Is almost the best thing about this week. 

 

[TheSpecialJuan]

8 hours 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.

Great writeup 

[PadresPanthersFan]

Well we turned the last 7th round lb we drafted into Mike Jackson. Wonder what we'll turn this one into.....