The Jets recently acquired former Panthers linebacker Trevin Wallace, who has been active several times due to linebacker injuries. Today, we share Wallace in detail.
The 23-year-old Wallace is listed at 6’1” and 237 pounds and was a third round pick out of Kentucky in 2024. He started 20 games in his NFL career, racking up 125 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four pass breakups and three sacks.
Wallace was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and headed to Kentucky where he saw action in 12 games as a true freshman, albeit with just one start. He had 32 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks.
His role increased in 2022 as he started six of 12 games and made 54 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions.
In 2023, he became a full-time starter and had 80 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Deciding to enter the 2024 NFL draft, Wallace attended the scouting combine and was eventually drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the 72nd overall pick.
The Panthers planned to take Wallace slowly as a rookie but injuries forced him into a bigger role than intended, exposing his rawness at times.
In 13 appearances, he made eight starts and had 64 tackles and two forced fumbles.
In 2025, he started in all 12 of his appearances and had 61 tackles, five tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two sacks.
This year, Wallace was competing for the starting role during training camp but was then relegated to backup after the Panthers signed Bobby Okereke. This led to him being waived after the preseason.
The Jets claimed Wallace off waivers after the final cuts, but initially opted to leave him as a healthy scratch because they only had four active off-ball linebackers in week one and then moved Troy Reeder over him in week two. He has been active the past two games, though only seeing action on special teams.
Let’s move on to some more in-depth analysis of what Wallace brings to the table, based on in-depth research and film study.
Wallace is not very tall but has enough size and length for the linebacker position.
He is a former track athlete and impressed with his workout numbers as he ran a combined 4.50 in the 40-yard dash and posted excellent burst numbers.
At his pro day, he showed good strength with 20 bench press reps.
Wallace showed athleticism and versatility in high school as he saw time as a wide receiver, running back and even quarterback on offense.
At the college and NFL levels, he worked as an off-ball linebacker and didn’t match up in the slot or out wide, or creep up to the edge, very often.
As a run defender, Wallace’s strength lies more in sideline-to-sideline pursuit than plugging gaps between tackles.
According to analysis site Pro Football Focus, his run defense grades improved during his college career but struggled at the NFL level.
Wallace’s athletic ability could be an asset in coverage and his numbers aren’t too bad. He showed some playmaking ability with three interceptions in his college career and four pass breakups last season.
However, he can be flat-footed in coverage and his route recognition is lacking at times.
At the NFL level he threw three plays longer than 30 yards and four touchdowns in his first two seasons.
Wallace is a fairly productive tackler and his tackle efficiency numbers are acceptable even if he misses from time to time.
He closes and hits hard and has great technique, and can stop a runner in his tracks.
He forced two fumbles in his college career and has forced two at the NFL level as well.
Wallace has a knack for blitzing, evidenced by his 10 sacks in three college seasons, including 5.5 in his final season. He has three in two seasons at the NFL level. He also had one in the preseason this year.
His pressure rates are also solid, but nothing spectacular, although he shows good timing on both on pass rushes and run blitzes.
Wallace has already seen action on special teams with the Jets and was credited with one tackle in his first two appearances. He also made some nice contributions to force return men to redirect the Bears’ game.
He has good experience on all units besides the placekicking unit, although he didn’t play special teams as he was a full-time starter last year.
His production at the NFL level hasn’t been anything special with just two tackles and one holding penalty so far but he has shown some promise here and there.
He had five special teams tackles and one penalty in college but had one major highlight when he returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown.
He actually returned some kicks and punts in high school.
As mentioned, Wallace isn’t at his best between the tackles and can struggle to get off blocks, so he’s at his best when kept clean.
He didn’t have any defensive penalties at the NFL level and only had two in his college career.
Wallace was very raw when he first got to the NFL and had some issues recognizing plays and getting caught in traffic. He can also be prone to play fakes and misdirection.
However, he has also made some natural plays during his career, including a recovery to break up this trick play against the Jets.
His football IQ was praised and he was even called upon to wear a headset and green dot during his rookie season, making him the second-youngest player in the NFL to do so at the time.
He also took on these duties during his second season, which initially led to a major improvement in the Panthers’ defense and several wins, with teammates and coaches saying he was a key factor.
Amusingly, other players said they had trouble relaying calls at first because of his thick southern accent, but he overcame it by using his “business voice”.
However, they took those duties away from him in the preseason and he suggested he prefers that because it means he can focus more on what he’s doing.
Wallace is a mature player with a good work ethic and a team-first attitude. He is a team captain at Kentucky.
As mentioned, his field discipline is solid with only four penalties in his NFL and college careers combined, two of which were on special teams.
Wallace’s first two seasons at the NFL level were marred by shoulder issues. He was placed on injured reserve at the end of his rookie season, missed the final four games, and then missed several games in his second season before returning and then re-aggravating the injury.
At that point, the Panthers opted to shut him down so he could undergo season-ending surgery. He wanted to play through it, though.
Rehab from shoulder surgery also limited Wallace next spring.
In college, Wallace missed the 2022 opener and one 2023 game due to undisclosed injuries. He was also limited to just four appearances in his junior year of high school due to injuries.
Wallace seems likely to back up Jamien Sherwood on the Jets’ current depth chart. Although he has experience playing Demario Davis’ position, Reeder is probably better suited to this role, given their respective abilities. However, for now, both are available only for special teams.
He was a teammate of current Jets quarterback Will Levis at Kentucky.
When Wallace was acquired, the assumption was that a young former third round pick would have some promising upside and provide some depth to a unit where the team’s reserves were inexperienced.
However, the fact that Wallace has been passed over several times may indicate that he hasn’t done much to impress the coaches so far.
It’s unknown when Marcelino McCrary-Ball might come off injured reserve, but when he’s ready, Wallace could easily land a spot on the main roster.
Wallace clearly has some potential, so the Jets are hoping to develop him and restore his confidence. If they can, he could be a useful piece.