Chandler Wooten Bio
Chandler Wooten (born April 25, 1999) is an American professional football linebacker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) and listed at 230 lb (104 kg), he plays the linebacker position and wears jersey number 57 for the Panthers. Wooten played college football for the Auburn Tigers from 2017 through 2021 and entered the NFL in 2022 as an undrafted free agent.
Early Life and Background
Chandler Wooten was born on April 25, 1999, in Acworth, Georgia, to Kelvin and Sandra Wooten. He grew up in the Atlanta metropolitan area and attended North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, Georgia, where he developed into a standout football prospect. At North Cobb, Wooten earned all-region and all-state recognition in Georgia and was selected to participate in the Under Armour All-America Game, one of the premier high school showcases in the country.
Rated as the forty-fifth best college football player in the state of Georgia, Wooten drew attention from several SEC programs during his recruitment. His combination of size, instincts, and tackling ability made him one of the more promising linebacker prospects in his class, and his invitation to the Under Armour All-America Game confirmed his status as a nationally ranked high school linebacker.
Path to American Football
Wooten chose to attend Auburn University over the University of Tennessee, citing the Tigers’ defensive tradition and his fit within their linebacker scheme. He enrolled at Auburn in 2017 and spent his freshman season in a backup role, recording sporadic tackles while learning the team’s defensive system. The following year he was elevated on the depth chart, although he did not yet claim a starting job, and his tackle totals grew as he earned more playing time.
By his junior year, Wooten had become the starting linebacker and solidified himself as a reliable presence on the field for the Auburn Tigers. His senior season was disrupted when he sat out due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the NCAA’s decision to grant an extra year of eligibility allowed him to return for a fifth season. In that final campaign at Auburn, Wooten was voted team captain and received the Shug Jordan Award, an honor given annually to the Auburn player who best embodies the spirit of the program’s legendary coach.
Chandler Wooten Career
Early Career (2022)
After going undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft, Chandler Wooten was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Arizona Cardinals. He did not make the Cardinals’ active roster out of training camp but was signed to their practice squad, where he continued to develop his professional pass-rushing and run-stopping skills as a young linebacker prospect.
His time on the Cardinals practice squad lasted only weeks. On October 18, 2022, after the Carolina Panthers traded star running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers and freed up a roster spot, the Panthers signed Wooten to their active roster from the Cardinals practice squad. That transaction launched his NFL career.
Carolina Panthers Era (2022–2024)
Wooten made his NFL debut with the Panthers in the second half of the 2022 season, working primarily in a reserve linebacker role while contributing on special teams. Through his first two seasons in Carolina, he provided depth at linebacker and continued to build his professional resume.
On August 30, 2023, Wooten was waived by the Panthers during final roster cuts and was re-signed to the practice squad. He was promoted back to the active roster on September 8, 2023, and went on to appear in games that fall before being placed on injured reserve on November 7. The following offseason, on August 27, 2024, he was again waived and re-signed to the practice squad, promoted to the active roster on October 2, released and re-signed to the practice squad on October 23, and released on November 7.
San Francisco 49ers and Return to Carolina (2024)
After his release from Carolina, Wooten was signed to the San Francisco 49ers practice squad on December 17, 2024. The 49ers, fresh off their trade acquisition of Christian McCaffrey the previous year, offered him another opportunity to develop within a contending organization. His stay in San Francisco was brief.
On December 24, 2024, the Carolina Panthers signed Wooten off the 49ers practice squad, returning him to the franchise where he had begun his NFL career. He re-joined the active roster in time for the final stretch of the regular season, finishing the year back in a Carolina uniform.
Notable Events and Milestones
Through the 2024 NFL season, Chandler Wooten had recorded 39 total tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery in his NFL career. His professional journey, marked by multiple practice squad promotions, active-roster stints, and trips between three organizations, illustrates the resilience required of an undrafted linebacker carving out a role in the league.
Chandler Wooten Career Wins
Chandler Wooten’s professional resume as of the 2024 NFL season does not yet include a starting-caliber win total that can be precisely verified. His contributions have come primarily on special teams and in reserve linebacker duty across stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers.
Chandler Wooten Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Chandler Wooten was raised in Acworth, Georgia, by his parents, Kelvin and Sandra Wooten. Public information about the family’s deeper football lineage is limited, though his recruitment profile and high school accolades indicate that his development as a linebacker was supported throughout his upbringing.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 NFL season, Chandler Wooten is on the Carolina Panthers roster and continues to compete for a depth role at linebacker. His prior experience with the team, combined with stints on practice squads and active rosters across multiple organizations, has given him familiarity with the Panthers’ defensive scheme. His 2025 outlook centers on carving out consistent special teams snaps and rotational defensive work.