Jackson Kuwatch News: Taken by Panthers

Carolina selected Kuwatch in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 227th overall.

Kuwatch transferred from Ohio State to Miami (Ohio) in 2023, but he didn't become a full-time starter on defense until his senior year in 2025, when he was named to the All-MAC Third-Team after logging 109 total tackles, including 5.0 sacks, and one pass defense across 14 games. Kuwatch served as the RedHawks' middle linebacker, and his experience on special teams during his five-year college career could help him earn a spot on the Panthers' 53-man roster for the 2026 season. He'll enter the offseason program and training camp competing for a depth spot at inside linebacker against the likes of Claudin Cherelus, Bam Martin-Scott and Isaiah Simmons.