Florida DL Cam Jackson Selected in Fifth Round of NFL Draft

The Carolina Panthers selected former Florida Gators' defensive lineman Cam Jackson with the 140th overall pick.

Nov 23, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators defensive lineman Cam Jackson (99) celebrates after a sack against the Mississippi Rebels during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

In the Fifth Round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Florida Gators defensive tackle Cam Jackson has been selected by the Carolina Panthers.

During his final season at Florida, Jackson started in 11 games, seeing action in every regular season game. He totaled 37 combined tackles, four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, missing just one game (Gasparilla Bowl vs Tulane).

Jackson’s breakout game as a Gator came back in 2023, when he was named the SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the week after finishing with six tackles and one pass breakup during Florida’s win over No. 11 Tennessee.

After his Pro Day on March 27, Gators head coach Billy Napier gave some insight into how much Jackson has improved since becoming a member of the program.

“We're really proud of him,” Napier said. “I think Cam made a huge step. I thought he played and used his length this year. The film speaks for itself. Interior player that I think really increased his pass-rush value.”

At the 2025 NFL Combine, Jackson measured in at 6-foot-6 and 328 pounds, running a 5.17 second forty-yard dash. According to the NFL’s Next Gen model, which analyzes Combine performance and collegiate production, Jackson is projected to eventually be a starter at the NFL level.

Before becoming a Gator, Jackson played at the University of Memphis spent three seasons, where he was a Third-Team All-AAC selection in 2022. In his final season as a Tiger, Jackson finished with 41 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries.

Jackson is the second Gator to be selected in the 2025 NFL draft, following wide receiver Chimere Dike. He is also the third former Gator to be selected by Carolina after edge rusher Princely Umanmielen and running back Trevor Etienne, who were teammates with Jackson in 2023 before transferring out of the program.