How a high school phenom overcame repeated knee injuries to reach the NFL
In short: Before becoming a professional for the Carolina Panthers, Jonathon Brooks dominated Texas high school football. His journey from a state championship run to the NFL draft was marked by immense talent, but his path has been complicated by significant setbacks, including two separate tears of his right knee's anterior cruciate ligament.
Born in Hallettsville, Texas, on July 21, 2003, Brooks first gained widespread attention during his senior year in 2020. That season, he was recognized as the top high school player in Texas after a massive performance involving 3,530 rushing yards and 62 touchdowns on 295 carries. This production helped lead Hallettsville High School to its first-ever appearance in the Class 3A Division I state championship game.
His collegiate career at the University of Texas saw him evolve from a reserve player into a standout performer. In 2023, he emerged as the Longhorns' primary running back, recording six games with over 100 rushing yards. However, his season was cut short following an ACL injury in his right knee during a victory over TCU on November 11. Despite the injury, he finished the year with 1,139 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, earning second-team All-Big 12 honors.
The transition to the NFL has been physically demanding. Selected 46th overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2024 NFL draft—the first running back taken that year—Brooks faced immediate adversity. After a brief rookie season, he suffered a second tear of the same ACL in his right knee during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. After being sidelined for the 2025 season, he finally returned to game action in August 2026, though a core muscle injury later placed him on injured reserve in September of that year.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Jonathon Brooks (American football)
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