MJ #2

Mike Jackson

Cornerback · Miami

A former fifth-round pick who found his footing in Carolina, leading the NFL in passes defended during a career-best 2025 season.

Mike Jackson bounced around the league for five seasons before a training camp trade to Carolina in 2024 unlocked the best football of his career. The Miami product has since become one of the Panthers' most trusted cornerbacks, capping a breakout stretch with a league-leading passes-defended total in 2025.

★ Second-Team All-ACC (2017, Miami)

★ Led the NFL with 19 passes defended in 2025

★ Four interceptions and a pick-six touchdown in 2025

★ Ranked 4th among qualified NFL cornerbacks in PFF defensive grade (2025)

Path to the league

Jackson played at the University of Miami from 2015 to 2018, earning second-team All-ACC honors in 2017. The Dallas Cowboys selected him in the fifth round (158th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Career highlights

Jackson's early career took him through Dallas, Detroit, New England, and Seattle before Carolina acquired him in a 2024 training camp trade. He quickly won a starting job with the Panthers and has become one of the league's top corners since, and his extension with Carolina in March 2025 was worth $10.5 million over two years.

2025 season recap

Jackson delivered a career year in 2025, starting all 17 games and recording 68 tackles, four interceptions, a forced fumble, and a league-leading 19 passes defended. He also scored on a pick-six against Matthew Stafford in Week 13, and for the season posted a 79.1 overall PFF defensive grade, ranking fourth among qualified cornerbacks.