Jared Kirksey is the Director of College Scouting for the Carolina Panthers. By Melissa Rodriguez
It’s been a productive weekend for Jared Kirksey at the annual East-West Shrine Bowl.
The Panthers’ director of college scouting and the bulk of his department have spent the past few days in Frisco, Texas, watching practices and interviewing dozens of prospects. The information the group, led by Kirksey, has unearthed will help general manager Dan Morgan make sound decisions during the 2026 NFL Draft.
No detail is too small. Every opportunity matters. And when Kirksey and his scouts find something new, they can add another layer to their evaluation process.
During one of the interviews in January at the all-star game, Kirksey, 40, spoke with a player about his upbringing and passion for the game, along with the adversity he faced early in his college career. That prospect eventually developed into the “alpha” leader of his college team, and Kirksey discerned that he could become a “glue guy” with staying power for an NFL locker room.
“Taking that away from this day — like learning that — it’s been a huge thing because it’s the little pieces that help you during a cycle,” Kirksey told The Charlotte Observer. “Just getting those nuggets like, ‘Hey, this is a guy.’ He may not have everything, he may have deficiency at something like in the run or pass, but taking that away, this guy is a leader, an alpha, truly passionate about the game, those are (details) that you don’t always get.”
Jared Kirksey was promoted from a national scout to assistant director of college scouting to director of college scouting in his first three years with the Carolina Panthers. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
The Panthers are looking to follow up their most promising draft in recent memory with similar success in 2026. After several years of draft falters — dating back to previous regimes — Morgan, who was a part of a few of those setbacks, put together a rookie group with instant impact and immense upside.
First-round pick Tetairoa McMillan was named the 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in February, while second-round pick Nic Scourton produced five sacks and 34 pressures in his first season. The other six drafted players all had roles during various points of the NFC South division-winning campaign, and a trio of undrafted players — including kicker Ryan Fitzgerald — played right away and flashed long-term potential.
It might be hard to replicate that type of collective production this year. But Kirksey, now in his third full year leading the college scouting department, is up for the challenge.
“We have to have that same type of production output from each draft class,” Kirksey said. “And that’s just focusing on staying on point with getting the right player and getting the right person. And that’s just staying true to our values of what we look for in a player.”
Morgan, in his third offseason as GM, has placed his faith in Kirksey to manage the college evaluation process, which began last August. The linebacker-turned-exec inherited Kirksey from his former boss, Scott Fitterer, in 2024, but Morgan has grown close to the evaluator through their common dedication to scouting.
“He’s like my top scout,” Morgan said. “So I trust him with everything.”
Football is in his blood
Kirksey spent the first 18 years of his life bouncing around from one city to another every few years. That’s what life was like as the son of a college and NFL wide receivers coach.
Kirksey’s father, Larry, made a living coaching future Hall of Famers like Emmitt Smith, Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens. His son sat with Smith at the dinner table in Gainesville, Florida as a toddler. The younger Kirksey also fetched footballs and equipment for Rice and Owens with the San Francisco 49ers as a ball boy during grade school.
“When (Jared) was just a little kid, he was just so enamored with the game itself,” Larry said. “And I could just remember in Alabama, that’s when it really started. And I think at the time, he’s 5 or 6 years old, and then we moved to California, and he would go to training camp with us and carry the shoulder pads and helmets and all that with the 49er players and things of that nature. And then I think he started playing football there in California when he was in the ninth grade and that’s when it really took off.”
Carolina Panthers director of college scouting Jared Kirksey, pictured here as a child, wears a San Francisco 49ers helmet. Kirksey’s father, Larry, served as the 49ers’ wide receivers coach from 1994 to 1999. The elder Kirksey coached Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens during that tenure, and he won Super Bowl XXIX as a member of the staff. Courtesy of the Kirksey family
The younger Kirksey attended three different high schools before joining the University of Central Florida’s football team as a defensive end. Following his college career, he was looking to remain in football, but he didn’t want to focus on Xs and Os.
In 2008, Larry was coaching wide receivers for the Texans, and he got his son a meeting with the Houston brass. The AFC South franchise hired him as a scouting intern.
“He’s always had a good eye for the game,” Larry said.
Kirksey was able to use his upbringing to his advantage as a scout. While he didn’t follow Larry into coaching, Kirksey took what he learned from his father and used those lessons to shape his evaluation approach.
“Part of how I was raised is being able to talk to people, look them in the eye, but also see their side of the story, because you can’t just have expectations for a person without trying to meet them halfway,” Kirksey said. “And if you meet someone halfway, usually the expectation can be met.”
Carolina Panthers director of college scouting Jared Kirksey, pictured here as a child, poses around several helmets at the University of Alabama. Kirksey’s father, Larry, coached running backs for the Crimson Tide from 1990 to 1993. Alabama won a national championship in 1992 during Larry’s tenure as a position coach. Courtesy of the Kirksey family
Following a two-year stint as an intern, Kirksey spent three years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ scouting department. He then had an eight-year tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars under then-GM Dave Caldwell.
“I think he’s very coachable and very eager to do a good job, which is probably a good trait of a son of a coach,” Caldwell said. “He’s got a great awareness about him, in terms of being able to listen to people, go to a school, collect information, and come back with a detailed report, and basically, relay the important information.”
Kirksey was hired by the Panthers in 2021 as an east national scout. He was promoted in each of the next two offseasons, settling in as the director of college scouting in 2023 while working under Morgan, who was then the assistant GM.
“The best thing about Jared — he knows these players so well,” Morgan said. “By the time we sit in the draft room, I could ask him anything from a background perspective — I can ask him anything about what he thinks of the players — like he watches so many guys. He’s just a really valuable resource for me.”
The ‘why’ of it all
Kirksey manages a department of six scouts and three scouting assistants. He’s been in their shoes, and he’s looking to pay it forward with those who report to him.
During the major all-star game circuit, Kirksey gave two of his scouts the opportunity to lead the week of work. West Coast scout Caden McCloughan managed the Shrine Bowl, while Southeast scout Corey Fuller handled the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
“Experience is something that’s a growth tool for us,” Kirksey said. “If they gain that experience, when they get the opportunity — I hope that all my area scouts get the opportunity to run their own department — they’ll be experienced when they do it.”
Jared Kirksey, the Panthers’ director of college scouting, worked for the Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars before arriving in Carolina in 2021 as a national scout. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
During the practices, Kirksey spent time with his scouts individually, sharing feedback and discussing the setup for daily interviews. At one of the workouts, Mid-Atlantic area scout Jordan Trgovac alerted Kirksey about a prospect who pulled out of participation for the all-star week. While the player’s participation might not have been a major red flag, it served as a puzzle piece worth exploring.
“You always get these little nuggets here and there,” Kirksey said. “It’s putting all those together to get an informed decision.”
A common word used within the Panthers’ college scouting department is “why.” It’s the word that drives the evaluation process. And it’s Kirksey’s job — along with the rest of his department — to assess the “why” of every prospect.
“Finding out his ‘why’ is like you’re finding out his motivation to play football at a high level,” Kirksey said. “Those are just buttons to push.”
Kirksey has a keen understanding of what he’s looking for in a prospect. While some evaluators get heavily caught up in scheme fits and traits, Kirksey is more concerned with a player’s makeup. He can recall scouting Luke Kuechly and Saquon Barkley earlier in his career. Their “whys” set a standard for Kirksey when it came to a prospect’s passion for the game.
Said Kirksey: “End of day, I’m looking for football players.”
No stone unturned
Kirksey and the Panthers have had success with the all-star circuit over the past few years. That’s why they were out in full force in Frisco as a winter storm barrelled into the Carolinas.
With his wife, Lexi, and two daughters, 3-year-old Ayla and 8-month-old Monroe, at home dealing with the winter weather, Kirksey was with his department trying to find the next Mitchell Evans or Jimmy Horn Jr. They might have found some gems in the mold of Jalen Coker or Corey Thornton, too.
It’s a sacrifice being away from his family, but Kirksey understands it’s a necessary one. He’s a leader by example, and his dedication to the job is essential to the success of the overarching fact-finding mission.
He doesn’t take it lightly.
Evans, Coker, Horn, Thornton and linebacker Bam Martin-Scott all participated in the Shrine Bowl in recent years. It’s where Kirksey and his scouts got to know their “whys” in a more intimate setting.
“You only have so many opportunities to be around these players in person, so we want to take as much advantage of the situation as we can,” said David Whittington, the Panthers’ assistant director of college scouting.
Carolina Panthers director of college scouting Jared Kirksey at Bank of America Stadium. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
Horn was “by far and away” one of the toughest wideouts in last year’s class, according to Kirksey, and his intangibles of “toughness, physicality (and) finish” drew the Panthers to him in the sixth round. Martin-Scott was a draw as an undrafted free agent because of his personal makeup, which was further explored during interviews.
With the Panthers on the search for talent, the desire to leave no stone unturned is essential.
“Part of that process is knowing what you’re getting as far as the person, first,” Kirksey said. “Knowing the person, because what the person is going to let the player do is unlock the talent. Part of that is like the wiring of the player, because the wiring is either going to halt or it’s going to let that talent succeed.”
As the Panthers work to set up their draft board in the coming weeks, the college scouting department’s findings will greatly impact the pecking order. While the department doesn’t handle the medical part of the evaluations, the scouts are the main data collectors for everything else.
Morgan has encouraged his scouting directors and area scouts to speak their minds in meetings. According to those who have worked with Kirksey, he isn’t afraid to put his stamp on a conversation in the draft room.
“Jared does a good job of speaking up on his conviction and guys that he’s passionate about,” Whittington said. “He’s kind of gone through the process of (evaluation) and is just convicted that they have a really good fit for what we are trying to build here.”
Carolina Panthers director of college scouting Jared Kirksey walks to rookie minicamp practice on May 9, 2025. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
And as the Panthers continue to build, Kirksey will be at the forefront. Morgan has put Kirksey in a position to grow, and the results of the 2025 draft class have only reinforced the top personnel exec’s faith in him.
“I take a lot of pride in that just because I want him to be successful,” Morgan said. “I want him to be a GM at some point.”
Kirksey, though, is focused on the task at hand. While he eventually wants to follow in Morgan’s footsteps, he’s dedicated to his role in finding the best draft prospects for the Panthers.
“We want players to be driven to want to be good, want to be a good teammate,” Kirksey said. “Because that’s part of our process, is building a culture that players play for each other, play for their coaches, and play for the organization.”