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Panthers Mike Jackson Outperformed Patrick Surtain II, 9 Other Pro Bowl CBs in 2025

The Panthers were a playoff team in 2025, and their defense was much-improved. One of their top players was left out when it came to individual recognition.
Russell Baxter|
Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson (2) reacts in the fourth quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson (2) reacts in the fourth quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

In 2024, the Carolina Panthers were a defensive disaster. Among their numerous negatives was the fact the team allowed an NFL-high 35 touchdown passes. The inability to stop the run made life easier for opposing passers, who were sacked a disappointing 32 times in 17 games.

This past season, the Panthers made strides on the defensive side of the ball. Despite a pass rush that produced only 30 sacks, Carolina defenders gave up a respectable 20 TD passes. One of the stars of the Panthers’ secondary was experienced cornerback Mike Jackson, who enjoyed a solid but somewhat-underappreciated season in 2025.

CB Mike Jackson was arguably Carolina’s best defensive player in 2025

“In his second season with the Panthers,” explained Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus, “Jackson produced a career year by generating the second-highest PFF coverage grade (85.8) among cornerbacks and ranking above the 90th percentile in nearly all of PFF’s stable cornerback metrics.”

“As one half of Carolina’s playmaking duo at cornerback,” added Cameron, “Jackson has a nose for the ball, notching five interceptions (tied for second-most) and 18 forced incompletions (second-most). As a result, he led all cornerbacks in PFF WAR (0.56).

Jackson had quite the year, and he finished as Pro Football Focus’ No. 3 cornerback behind Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon and Pittsburgh’s James Pierre. The former was named to his third Pro Bowl in as many seasons. In fact, both Pierre and Jackson were ranked ahead of nine other cornerbacks that were either named or appeared in the Pro Bowl games.

Carolina CBs Mike Jackson and Jaycee Horn make up a formidable duo

Mike Jackso
Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson (2) talks to an assistant coach in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The difference between the latter two was that Jackson started all of Carolina’s 18 contests this past season, while Pierre played in 15 games (including playoffs) and had six starts. All told, the 29-year-old was named to Pro Football Focus’ 2025 All-Pro Team.

The Panthers’ defender earned a higher overall grade (83.5) from PFF than teammate Jaycee Horn (57.7), 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain of the Broncos (73.3), the Eagles’ duo of Quinyon Mitchell (80.3) and Cooper DeJean (78.0), the Texans’ tandem of Kamari Lassiter (79.8), and Derek Stingley Jr. (65.6), New England’s Christian Gonzalez (75.0), Green Bay’s Keisean Nixon (66.7), Chicago’s Nahshon Wright (65.9), and Cleveland’s Denzel Ward (59.2).

It is somewhat bewildering that Jackson didn’t earn a little more national recognition in 2025. Perhaps that’s coming in the not-too-distant future for the ball-hawking cornerback.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.

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