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Panthers: Rookie duo bringing swagger, confidence to defense

By Danny Jaillet

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 05: Tennessee defensive back Rashaan Gaulden (DB11) runs the ball during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 5, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 05: Tennessee defensive back Rashaan Gaulden (DB11) runs the ball during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 5, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Jackson and Gaulden are close and ready to help the Carolina Panthers win…..

The Carolina Panthers may have their swagger back defensively.  The swagger has not come from veterans but from two rookies.

Donte Jackson and Rashaan Gaulden are not the type of rookies who are going to cower from the media, at least for now. “Swagger” has been one of their favorite words to describe how they play. Not only that, as Stephen Igoe notes via the Panthers website, they feed off of each other’s confident energy.

"“He’s got a different swagger about him,” Gaulden said with Jackson standing next to him and listening intently. “We feed off each other. We want to spark this defense in any way we can.”"

Gaulden had a great season last year as a member of the Tennessee Volunteers. As a junior in 2017, he played in 11 games tallying 63 tackles, an interceptions, and a forced fumble. Those numbers were a little down from 2016, his best year in Knoxville. That year, he tallied 67 tackles, four pass deflections and a sack.

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Jackson is known to have a nose for the football. In three seasons with the Tigers, he recorded 110 tackles. In 2017, he appeared in 11 games recording 45 total tackles (29 solo, 16 assisted) in addition to an interception and a sack.

His best game of the 2017 campaign came in a win against Florida. In that contest, he recorded nine tackles (four solo, five assisted) and a pass deflection. He was second on the team in tackles during that contest.

The fact that these two seem to be on the same page and have a cocky attitude is a great thing. The Carolina Panthers have been missing a cockiness in their secondary ever since Josh Norman left.

Next: Devin Funchess to Jim Rome: “Super Bowl is the goal”

As long as they do not get too cocky and let their personality overwhelm their play, these two should be a lot of fun to watch next year.

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