TRANSACTIONS: Selected by Carolina Panthers in the second round (64th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft, April 24, 2020…Signed by Washington Commanders as an unrestricted free agent, March 3, 2024…Signed by Las Vegas Raiders as an unrestricted free agent, March 12, 2025.
AT A GLANCE
• Has played in 71 career games with 67 starts and totaled 427 tackles (276 solo), six sacks, 19 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, two defensive touchdowns, 22 passes defensed and three interceptions.
• In 2024 with Washington, started all 17 games and recorded 107 tackles (67), two sacks, seven tackles for loss, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, five passes defensed and one interception.
• As a rookie with the Panthers in 2020, finished second in voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year after leading the NFL in tackles by a rookie (116) and being named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month twice (October and November).
• Became just the third player in NFL history with multiple fumble return touchdowns in a single game, the first since 1948 (Fred Evans).
CAREER: Veteran safety enters his sixth NFL season and first with the Silver and Black after being drafted 64th overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2020 NFL Draft…In 2024 with Washington, started all 17 games and recorded 107 tackles (67 solo), two sacks, seven tackles for loss, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, five passes defensed and one interception…In 2023 with Carolina, played in 12 games with eight starts and posted 30 tackles (16), two tackles for loss, one sack and pass defensed. In 2022, started 11 games and recorded 70 tackles (51), six passes defensed, two tackles for loss and one sack…In 2021, started 16 games and totaled 106 tackles (74), five passes defensed, six tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception and one sack…As a rookie in 2020, started 15 games and recorded a career-high 116 tackles (68), five passes defensed, two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns, one sack and one interception…Finished second in voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year…Career totals include 71 games played with 67 starts, totaling 427 tackles (276 solo), six sacks, 19 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, two defensive touchdowns, 22 passes defensed and three interceptions.
2024 (with Was.): Started all 17 games and recorded 107 tackles (67 solo), two sacks, seven tackles for loss, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, five passes defensed and one interception…(9/8) at TB: Recorded three tackles (two)…(9/15) vs. NYG: Recorded two tackles (one) and one fumble recovery…(9/23) at Cin.: Posted four tackles and one tackle for loss…(9/29) at Ari.: Tallied eight tackles (five) on defense and one forced fumble…Added two special teams tackles…(10/6) vs. Cle: Posted four tackles (three)…(10/13) at Bal.: Recorded six tackles on defense and two special teams tackles…(10/20) vs. Car.: Tallied four tackles (one) on defense and two special teams tackles…(10/27) vs. Chi.: Recorded four tackles (two)…(11/3) at NYG: Posted 12 tackles (seven), two tackles for loss and one pass defensed…(11/10) vs. Pit.: Posted 12 tackles (six), one interception, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed…(11/14) at Phi.: Tallied 12 tackles (nine)…(11/24) vs. Dal.: Recorded three tackles (two) and one pass defensed…(12/1) vs. Ten.: Recorded three tackles (two)…(12/15) at NO: Recorded seven tackles (five), one sack and two tackles for loss…(12/22) at Phi.: Posted six tackles (three)…(12/29) at Atl.: Tallied five tackles (two) and two passes defensed…(1/5/25) at Dal.: Recorded 12 tackles (seven), one sack and two tackles for loss...Postseason: (1/12/25) at TB: Recorded seven tackles (three) in first-career playoff appearance…(1/18/25) at Det.: Posted 12 tackles (seven) and first-career playoff interception in NFC Divisional playoff win…(1/26/25) at Phi.: Registered seven tackles (five) in NFC Championship game.
2023 (with Car.): Played in 12 games with eight starts and posted 30 tackles (16 solo), two tackles for loss, one sack and pass defensed…(9/10) at Atl.: Recorded seven tackles (three)…(9/18) vs. NO: Posted two tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass defensed…(9/24) at Sea.: Recorded five tackles (two)…(10/1) vs. Min.: Recorded six tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss…(10/8) at Det.: Tallied two tackles (one)…(10/15) at Mia.: Saw action on defense…(12/3) at TB: Appeared on defense…(12/10) at NO: Recorded three tackles…(12/17) vs. Atl.: Recorded one tackle…(12/24) vs. GB: Recorded one tackle…(12/31) at Jax.: Posted one tackle…(1/7/24) vs. TB: Saw action on defense.
2022 (with Car.): Started all 11 games he appeared in and recorded 70 tackles (51 solo), two tackles for loss, one sack and six passes defensed…(9/11) vs. Cle.: Recorded seven tackles (five)…(9/18) at NYG: Recorded five tackles (three)…(9/25) at NO: Posted eight tackles (six), one sack, one tackle for loss and two passes defensed…(10/2) vs. Ari.: Saw action on defense…(11/20) at Bal.: Recorded nine tackles (seven)…(11/27) vs. Den.: Posted one tackle…(12/11) at Sea.: Recorded five tackles (three), one tackle for loss and one pass defensed…(12/18) vs. Pit.: Recorded a career-high 14 tackles (11) in addition to one pass defensed…(12/24) vs. Det.: Posted six tackles (five) and one pass defensed…(1/1/23) at TB: Recorded 12 tackles (eight)…(1/8/23) at NO: Tallied three tackles (two) and one pass defensed.
2021 (with Car.): Started all 16 games he appeared in and recorded 106 tackles (74 solo), one sack, one interception, six tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and five passes defensed…(9/12) vs. NYJ: Recorded three tackles and one pass defensed…(9/19) vs. NO: Recorded three tackles…(9/23) at Hou.: Posted five tackles (three)…(10/3) at Dal.: Recorded six tackles (five)…(10/10) vs. Phi.: Recorded four tackles (three) and one fumble recovery…(10/17) vs. Min.: Recorded nine tackles (seven) and one pass defensed…(10/24) at NYG: Posted eight tackles (four) and one tackle for loss…(10/31) at Atl.: Posted five tackles (four) and one pass defensed…(11/7) vs. NE: Recorded 11 tackles (five), two tackles for loss and one forced fumble…(11/14) at Ari.: Recorded four tackles and one tackle for loss…(11/21) vs. Was.: Posted 13 tackles (nine) and one tackle for loss…(11/28) at Mia.: Recorded seven tackles (five) and one pass defensed…(12/12) vs. Atl.: Tied a season-high with 13 tackles (eight)…(12/19) at Buf.: Recorded seven tackles (five), one interception and one pass defensed…(12/26) vs. TB: Posted five tackles (three)…(1/2/22) at NO: Tallied three tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss.
2020 (with Car.): Started all 15 games he appeared in and led all NFL rookies in tackles with 116 (68 solo)…Added one sack, one interception, two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns and five passes defensed…Named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month twice (October and November) and become the first Panthers player to ever win multiple Defensive Rookie of the Month awards in the same season…Earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors and finished second in voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year…(9/13) vs. LV: Recorded eight tackles (seven)…(9/20) at TB: Posted six tackles (one)…(9/27) at LAC: Posted 12 tackles (six) and one tackle for loss…(10/4) vs. Ari.: Registered eight tackles (five)…(10/11) at Atl.: Tallied nine tackles (five) and one pass defensed…(10/18) vs. Chi.: Recorded five tackles (four), one interception and two passes defensed…(10/25) at NO: Recorded eight tackles (four) and one pass defensed…(10/29) vs. Atl.: Posted 10 tackles (six) and one pass defensed…(11/15) vs. TB: Finished with three tackles (two)…(11/22) vs. Det.: Registered four tackles (two)…(11/29) at Min.: Recorded 13 tackles (seven), one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns…(12/13) vs. Den.: Recorded eight tackles (seven), one sack, one tackle for loss and one forced fumble…(12/19) at GB: Posted seven tackles (five)…(12/27) at Was.: Posted eight tackles (six)…(1/3/21) vs. NO: Recorded seven tackles (one).
COLLEGE: Played four seasons (2016-19) at Southern Illinois University and recorded 243 career tackles (183 solo), 13 interceptions, 31 passes defensed, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one sack…As a senior, earned consensus All-American honors at the FCS level and First-Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference after starting all 10 games and recording 71 tackles (51), one sack, 2.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions, seven passes defensed and one fumble recovery…In 2018, started all nine games he appeared in and recorded 55 tackles (46), 0.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, 10 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one blocked field goal…In 2017, started all 11 games and recorded 66 tackles (47), 0.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, nine passes defensed, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery…In 2016, played in eight games with six starts and recorded 51 tackles (39), 1.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and five passes defensed.
PERSONAL: Attended Fishers (Ind.) High School…Earned All-State honors as a senior by Associated Press...Named All-Metro Super Team defensive back by the Indianapolis Star, First-team All-County and All-Conference defensive back as a senior...Also named team defensive MVP in 2015...Set single-season school records for interceptions, interception return yards and interceptions in a career...Had seven career interceptions and four in his senior season...Also played running back and averaged 6.9 yards on 101 carries…Is the nephew of Hall of Fame safety Steve Atwater.
ADDITIONAL STATISTICS: Special teams tackles – 1 in 2020, 1 in 2021, 2 in 2023, 10 in 2024. NFL Totals: 14.
SINGLE-GAME HIGHS: TACKLES: Total – 14, 12/18/22 vs. Pit. Solo – 11, 12/18/22 vs. Pit. Sacks – 1, four times; last: 10/1/23 vs. Min. Passes Defensed – 2, two times; last: 9/25/22 vs. NO. Interceptions – 1, three times; last: 11/10/24 vs. Pit. Forced Fumbles – 1, three times; last: 11/7/21 vs. NE.