The Carolinas have a rich, deeply rooted cowboy heritage dating back to the colonial era, well before the mythic American West took shape. North Carolina even boasts a western-themed town founded in 1954: Love Valley, tucked into the Brushy Mountains.
Come April — specifically April 24 — the Carolinas could be reaffirming their cowboy legacy in modern football. Dan Morgan knows linebackers, and after a week at the Senior Bowl, I’m confident he’ll be drawn to one standout: Texas Tech prospect Jacob Rodriguez.
Rodriguez was a force in Lubbock, racking up elite honors including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, and Lombardi Award. Calling him accomplished barely scratches the surface.
When I caught up with him in Mobile, my first question was the one on everyone’s mind: what drove someone with his credentials to take on every single Senior Bowl practice?
“I just wanted to come down here and show everyone that I love football,” Rodriguez replied.
Carolina Panthers could solve their linebacker issues by drafting Jacob Rodriguez
And he did — every day, in every drill.
Rodriguez emerged as a field general, vocally directing teammates and diagnosing formations. He locked down backs in one-on-ones, erased passing windows in zone coverage, and created chaos in the backfield, forcing multiple fumbles and snagging an interception in team periods. His presence in practice was so impactful that he didn’t even need to suit up for the game.
No one who watched his college tape was surprised. Over his final two seasons, Rodriguez posted 255 tackles and six sacks, showcasing a relentless pursuit of ball carriers. His 10 forced fumbles, five interceptions, and 10 pass deflections made him a true ball-hawking enforcer smack in the middle of Texas Tech’s defense.
So if Rodriguez is a capable tackler, an elite cover guy, and a highly productive starter, then what’s the knock on his game?
After reviewing his film, I identified areas for growth, but I wanted to hear his own self-evaluation of where he needs to improve at the next level.
“Disengaging from blocks,” he said with confidence. “Offensive linemen are bigger, faster, stronger, and better with their hands. So putting myself in the right spot and maintaining leverage to keep my body free — we’ll go from there.”
That was exactly the point I jotted in my notes: his ability to disengage from blockers.
That tells you a lot about Rodriguez’s football IQ and self-awareness. Anyone can grind, but the ability to diagnose what to fix — and how to fix it — separates the Sam Darnolds from the Justin Fields.
Morgan laid out his criteria for elite linebackers nearly a year ago: “First, you have to be smart and instinctive. You have to be able to run, close, hit, and finish tackles,” he said on the Carolina Panthers’ YouTube channel. “On the other end, you have to be able to cover. If you can blitz, cover, and affect the pass game, your value skyrockets.”
Take it from Morgan — don’t be surprised if the Panthers are rounding up a cowboy come April.