— Jeremy Cash is not only fighting for a roster spot after being signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted rookie free agent, but he's also battling 89 players while learning a new position - linebacker.



After being bypassed by all 32 teams in the 2016 National Football League Draft, Cash - a former standout safety at Duke University - was picked up by the Panthers only hours after the final round.



Cash was one of seven undrafted rookie free agents that signed with Carolina, including last season's NCAA leader in receiving yards, Tulsa wide receiver Keyarris Garrett.



The former Blue Devil arrived at Duke as a redshirt sophomore after transferring from Ohio State following his freshman season.

Cash appeared in 44 games during his four-year collegiate career and tallied 336 tackles, six interceptions, 15 pass breakups, four fumble recoveries, nine forced fumbles and 15 quarterback hurries.

He was also a three-time All-America selection at Duke, including a unanimous first team All-America choice as a senior. He was the first player in Duke history to receive first, second or third team All-America honors in three seasons.



Cash said Thursday after the team's final minicamp practice that, although the transition has been a challenge, he's made strides since he arrived at rookie minicamp in May.



"It's night and day from when I first started to now," Cash said. "It was a complete whirlwind coming out here, having to transition from the safety position to linebacker."



Along with learning a new position on the field, Cash said the NFL terminology and understanding the playbook has also presented a unique challenge.



"There are so many calls just being thrown at you left and right. New installs every day, new plays every day, and with checks on top of that," he said. "While I'm not on that level just yet, I'm in the upper echelon of things where I can pretty much understand and know what's going on, and knowing what the people around me are doing."



Cash is one of seven linebackers currently on Carolina’s roster, which includes All-Pros Luke Kuechly and Tomas Davis, Sr.



"We're a good group, arguably the best room in the National Football League," Cash said. "Those guys, those veterans, have done a lot to help this ball club and to help bring us young guys along the way and help us contribute to this team."

1 way to be the best, learn from the best. 🏈 pic.twitter.com/aynVvd995O — Jeremy Cash (@jaycash_16) June 14, 2016

The Miami native, listed at 6 feet and 215 pounds, is 15 pounds lighter than any of the other linebackers on the roster. He said Thursday that his goal is to get stronger and become more proficient with the team's playbook so he can be more prepared when the team arrives in Spartanburg, S.C. for training camp in late-July."The biggest things is to continue getting stronger and put on more weight and be able to continue improving on my speed, as well as getting in the playbook," Cash said. "Just continue to learn everything and take everything in so when it comes to Spartanburg I'm not learning at that point, I'm just going out and playing."A familiar face joined the Panthers with Cash after going undrafted in May, former Duke tight end Braxton Deaver. Deaver was signed by the Panthers - along with five other undrafted players that were brought in on a tryout basis - after the team's two-day rookie minicamp."It's fun just having someone that came from the same program as you and going through the same process with both of us going undrafted," Cash said.Deaver, a Charlotte native, tallied 75 catches for 890 yards, six touchdowns and an 11.9 yards per catch average in three seasons as a Blue Devil.The pair's former teammate and quarterback at Duke, Anthony Boone, was involved in a two-vehicle, head-on crash with current their current teammate, second-year linebacker Shaq Thompson on May 22 in Weddington.Thompson wasn't injured in the crash, but Boon was hospitalized and underwent surgeries to repair his non-throwing hand and hip at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Boone was released from the hospital in late-May, according to his agent.Cash said he talks to Boone regularly and recently spent time with him at a graduation, but Boone is confined to a wheelchair during his recovery."He's doing great with this recovery process . We're just keeping him in good spirits now," he said.Cash and Deaver are two of four players that represent Triangle-area schools on the Panthers roster - starting free safety Tre Boston attended UNC-Chapel Hill, and wide receiver Tobias Palmer graduated from North Carolina State University.During organized training activities in June, Boston jokingly said he was unaware there were any other Triangle representatives on the team."We only have North Carolina guys on this team, right? I'm positive, we got nobody else besides North Carolina guys," Boston said. "It [Duke] is in New Jersey, right? State? Is that in West Virginia?"On Thursday, Cash said the two put the rivalry aside during team introductions in Charlotte."We managed to put that aside a little bit," Cash said. "When we did introductions, he realized we're from the same state – we’re both from Florida - so we were able to put that behind us, so that trumps the Duke-North Carolina rivalry."The Panthers will reconvene at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., for training camp with practices beginning on July 28 and ending August 16.

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