CHARLOTTE — At 6-6 328 pounds, Cam Jackson towers over most of his teammates. He's a head taller than some, casts shadows over others, and is an imposing figure with a wicked first step for someone his size, an intimidating combination in the otherwise light workload that comes with a rookie minicamp.
It's hard to imagine him ever being the humble, quiet giant who just wants to be a little brother. But then he smiles, offering a shy laugh at the on slant of attention that comes with being a fifth-round draft pick, and you believe him when he says exactly that.
"I want to be under and just be under their wing, not only as a teammate but also as a little brother as well," admitted a respectful Jackson following Saturday's rookie minicamp practice.
The teammates in question that Jackson plans to defer to are Derrick Brown and A'Shawn Robinson. The former, Brown, is a Pro Bowler and record-setting defensive lineman who has become a legend amongst SEC linemen such as Jackson (who played at Florida). And Robinson is a lore in his own right in the SEC, coming out of Alabama as a consensus All-American and a mountain of a man who went on to win a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams.
Stepping into a room with the duo opens the door to a wealth of experience and knowledge that Jackson doesn't take lightly.
"I try to pick (DB's brain) a lot, just talking to him," Jackson said. "I actually texted him and told him, you know, him and A'Shawn Robinson, them are two guys… I'm going to be around and sitting around in the D-line room, so just being around them guys picking their brain and just being able to be the best version to me and helping them out."
Brown and Robinson anchor a defensive front for the Panthers at defensive end. Jackson is technically a defensive tackle, but he has 69 tackles, 4.5 for loss, 2.0 sacks, and four passes defended over the last two years with the Gators. His secret for affecting the pocket from the tackle position is simple: be in place and ready.
"I say, just extra effort, you know, especially with us the tackles, we get doubled a lot," explained Jackson. "So, the D-end guys, you know, they'll bring, they'll make the quarterbacks step up to us, and we'll be there to make the plays. So just extra effort."
Jackson will learn under another SEC lineman, Shy Tuttle, at the tackle position as he adjusts to the NFL's speed. It could be a process, something Jackson knows and is prepared to tackle, pun intended. For now, though, Cam Jackson is ready to watch, learn, and introduce himself to a new fan base.
"(My family) always call me Big Cam," Jackson said, as to how Panthers fans can address him, before quickly adding, "When I got drafted to Carolina, my family started calling me Carolina Cam."
He'll always be Big Cam—because how can he not? But with a plan in place to learn from some of the best, he's ready to become "Carolina Cam."
View photos of the 2025 rookie class as they participate in drills on the first day of minicamp on Friday.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers hold Rookie Mini Camp on Friday, May. 9, 2025 in Charlotte, NC.
