The Carolina Panthers have essentially pulled off a switcheroo at the outside linebacker position.
On Thursday, the team announced the signings of two pass rushers—Tarron Jackson and Eku Leota. The former will now head from the practice squad to the active roster while the latter, who was waived on Tuesday, returns to the practice squad.
Jackson, an Aiken S.C. native, played his college ball at nearby Coastal Carolina University from 2016 to 2020. He came away from Conway with quite a decorated career as a Chanticleer—earning one Third-team (2018) and two First-team All-Sun Belt nods (2019 and 2020), the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honors (2020) and a consensus All-American selection (2020).
The 6-foot-2, 254-pounder would then be selected in the sixth round of the 2021 draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. Jackson went on to appear in 21 games for Philly between 2021 and 2022, amassing 18 combined tackles and a sack.
Leota, the team’s current 2024 sack leader (1.0 sack), returns after clearing waivers.
