Josey Jewell

7-year arc from Denver 4th-rounder to off-ball LB anchor — 274 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 22 PDs.

Drafted 4th round, 106th overall by Denver in 2018, Jewell was a backup his first two years before becoming a Broncos defensive starter in 2020 (64 tackles, career-high).

He lost most of 2021 to a pectoral injury (7 tackles) but bounced back as the Broncos' MIKE through 2022-23, then signed with Carolina in free agency. His 2024 Panthers debut produced 3.5 sacks (career-high) and 7 PDs (career-high) — the most complete season of his career.

3.5 sacks in 2024 — career-high, and he hit it in his first Panthers season.

Across his six Broncos seasons, Jewell accumulated 9.0 sacks total — averaging 1.5 per year. His first season in Carolina alone produced 3.5 sacks, his career high in a single season.

The scheme fit matters: Carolina's defense in 2024 deployed Jewell on more A-gap blitzes than Denver typically did. 7 PDs in 2024 (also a career high) suggests he was kept on the field in more nickel/dime sub-packages, where rushing the passer is part of the job.

7 forced fumbles and zero interceptions across 7 NFL seasons.

Jewell has been on the field for 22 career pass defenses — solid for an off-ball LB. But he's never recorded a career interception.

The forced-fumble count tells the opposite story: 5 career FFs including 2 in 2022 and 2 in 2023 — Jewell is a contact-disruptor more than a ball-tracker.

Among 2018 LBs drafted Rd 4 or later, Jewell ranks 2nd in tackles behind only Frankie Luvu.

The 2018 draft produced a wave of off-ball LB starters in the middle rounds. Among LBs drafted in the 4th round or later:

- Frankie Luvu (UDFA, NYJ → CAR → WAS): ~530 career tackles, multi-time top-15 LB - Josey Jewell (Rd 4, DEN → CAR): 274 career tackles, 12.5 sacks - Genard Avery (Rd 5, CLE → PHI): ~140 career tackles

Jewell didn't have the highlight-reel splash plays of his classmates — but the 274 tackles across 7 seasons put him solidly in the starter tier among 2018 Day 3 LBs.