The Carolina Panthers concluded their draft by finally taking a linebacker. GM Dan Morgan missed out or passed on CJ Allen, Jacob Rodriguez, Anthony Hill Jr., Kaleb Elarms-Orr, and plenty of others before snagging Jackson Kuwatch at the very end of the draft.
The Miami (Ohio) linebacker was the 227th pick off the board. At that point, the prospect always faces an incredibly long road to ever becoming relevant in the NFL. But this prospect in particular feels like a waste because there were better options to take a flyer.
The Panthers could've used an upgrade over Trevin Wallace or depth at the linebacker spot, but it will be surprising if Kuwatch ens up making the roster. This is a round where very few NFL players land, but the Panthers should've tried some other options.
As we've mentioned, Kuwatch is a major long shot. On ESPN's big board, he's the 387th-ranked prospect. That's well into the UDFA range, so the Panthers certainly reached here. It's not overly consequential, but the Panthers could've had:
Ole Miss IDL Zxavian Harris (68th prospect)
Oklahoma WR Deion Burks (81st)
Alabama LB Deonte Lawson (103rd)
Baylor TE Michael Trigg (148th)
Utah EDGE Logan Fano (179th)
Ole Miss TE Dae'Quan Wright (198th)
North Carolina CB Thaddeus Dixon (227th)
The Panthers met with plenty of prospects still on the board, including QBs Behren Morton, Diego Pavia , and Sawyer Robertson . It won't matter much for what is a solid draft class, but the Panthers could've ended with a bang rather than a curious whimper.
However, there is one silver lining. The Panthers badly need linebacker depth and actual backups. In 2025, by the end of the season, crucial games to their playoff hopes saw special teamers and fifth-string linebackers starting on defense.
Miami (OH) RedHawks linebacker Jackson Kuwatch (33) tackles Fresno State Bulldogs running back | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
So if Jackson Kuwatch is remotely competent, which he may well be if the Panthers' keen front office thinks he is, then the Panthers will at least get someone who can keep the depth up a little bit.
But to that same end, Deonte Lawson would've been a fantastic finishing pick. Taurean York, Eric Gentry , and Scooby Williams would've also been better, although we fully admit we're splitting hairs over the 227th pick, of all things.
But when the Panthers are trying to build a much better defense, and they've done well to fix it so far, drafting a prospect like Kuwatch is a big risk when there are better players on the board.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/panthers/onsi as Carolina Panthers Make Confusing Jackson Kuwatch Pick With Better Prospects Left .
