Dane Jackson (American football)

Dane Tyrez Jackson (born November 29, 1996) is an American professional football cornerback. He played college football at Pittsburgh and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL draft. He has also played for the Carolina Panthers.

Dane Jackson

Jackson in 2021
Personal information
Born:	(1996-11-29) November 29, 1996 (age 28) Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High school:	Cornell (Coraopolis, Pennsylvania)
College:	Pittsburgh (2015–2019)
Position:	Cornerback
NFL draft:	2020 / round: 7 / pick: 239
Career history
Buffalo Bills (2020–2023) Carolina Panthers (2024)
Career highlights and awards
Second-team All-(ACC) (2019)
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Total tackles: 175 Pass deflections: 30 Interceptions: 3 Forced fumbles: 2 Fumble recoveries: 1 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

Jackson played high school football at Quaker Valley High School because the high school he attended, Cornell High School, did not have a football team. Jackson was an all-state basketball player for Cornell.^[1] He committed to Pittsburgh on June 24, 2014, choosing the Panthers over Bowling Green and Duquesne.^[2] He committed the day after then-Pitt coach Paul Chryst offered Jackson a scholarship after seeing him at a Pitt prospect camp.^[3]

College career

After playing quarterback in high school, Jackson transitioned to cornerback at Pitt.^[4] He redshirted his freshman year and played mostly in a reserve role his redshirt freshman year, but then started every game during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons with Pitt.^[1] As a senior, he led Pitt with 12 pass breakups, and had 43 tackles, three for a loss, an interception and a sack assist.^[5] After his senior season, Jackson was named second-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference^[6] and took part in the 2020 Senior Bowl.^[7]

College statistics

Year	Team	GP	Tackles			Interceptions		Fumbles
			TOT	TFL	SACK	PD	INT	FF	FR
2016	Pitt	12	18	0.0	0.0	5	1	0	0
2017	Pitt	12	40	2.0	1.0	11	2	0	0
2018	Pitt	13	47	4.0	0.0	14	0	4	2
2019	Pitt	13	43	3.0	0.5	13	1	0	0
Total		50	148	9.0	1.5	43	4	4	2

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	20-yard shuttle	Three-cone drill	Vertical jump	Broad jump
5 ft 11+5⁄8 in (1.82 m)	187 lb (85 kg)	30+3⁄8 in (0.77 m)	8+3⁄4 in (0.22 m)	4.57 s	1.60 s	2.67 s	4.27 s	7.07 s	35.0 in (0.89 m)	10 ft 2 in (3.10 m)
All values from NFL Combine[8][9]

Buffalo Bills

Jackson with the Buffalo Bills in 2021.

The Buffalo Bills selected Jackson in the seventh round with the 239th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.^[5] Jackson signed a four-year, $3.376 million contract with the Bills on May 7, 2020.^[10] He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the team on July 30,^[11] but was activated a week later.^[12] He was waived on September 5, 2020, and signed to the practice squad the next day.^[13][14]

Following injuries to cornerbacks Levi Wallace and Josh Norman, Jackson was elevated to the active roster on October 13, 2020, and reverted to the practice squad after the game.^[15] He was elevated to the active roster on October 24 for the team's week 7 game against the New York Jets, and reverted to the practice squad after the game.^[16] Against the Jets, he finished with three tackles, two passes defensed, and one interception as the Bills won 18–10.^[17] He was elevated again on October 31, November 7, November 14, and January 2, 2021, for the team's weeks 8, 9, 10, and 17 games against the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and Miami Dolphins, and reverted to the practice squad after each game.^{[18][19][20][21]} He was elevated again on January 15 and 23 for the divisional playoff game and AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, and reverted to the practice squad again following each game.^[22][23] On January 26, 2021, Jackson signed a reserves/futures contract with the Bills.^[24]

Jackson suffered a neck injury during a Monday Night Football game versus the Tennessee Titans on September 19, 2022, after colliding with teammate Tremaine Edmunds as the two attempted to tackle an opposing player. He was removed from the field in an ambulance, but was released from the hospital the following day after it was determined he had avoided major damage to the neck and spinal cord.^[25]

On March 17, 2023, Jackson re-signed with the Bills on a one-year contract.^[26]

Carolina Panthers

On March 13, 2024, Jackson signed with the Carolina Panthers.^[27] He was placed on injured reserve on August 27 to begin the season.^[28] He was activated on October 19.^[29]

On February 21, 2025, Jackson was released by the Panthers.^[30]

NFL career statistics

Legend
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Tackles						Interceptions						Fumbles
		GP	GS	Comb	Solo	Ast	Sack	Sfty	TFL	PD	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	FF	FR
2020	BUF	5	2	15	13	2	0.0	0	1	5	1	6	6.0	6	0	0	1
2021	BUF	17	6	41	33	8	0.0	0	0	6	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
2022	BUF	15	14	57	49	8	0.0	0	1	12	2	13	6.5	11	0	0	0
2023	BUF	10	6	36	31	5	0.0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2024	CAR	9	3	23	15	8	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career		56	31	172	141	31	0.0	0	3	29	3	19	6.3	11	0	0	1

Postseason

Year	Team	Games		Tackles						Interceptions						Fumbles
		GP	GS	Comb	Solo	Ast	Sack	Sfty	TFL	PD	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	FF	FR
2021	BUF	2	2	10	9	1	0.0	0	1	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
2022	BUF	2	1	4	2	2	0.0	0	0	1	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
Career		2	2	14	11	3	0.0	0	1	1	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0