Draft Exam Review: Round 5, Compensatory Pick #2

The NFL draft is complete and so are the bulk of the signings of undrafted free agents. I will be analyzing one pick a day this week plus my favorite undrafted free agents to make the roster or practice squad. Keep Pounding!

Round 5, Pick 174: RB Cameron Artis-Payne, Auburn University

I once slotted Artis-Payne to the Panthers with their first compensatory pick back on April 9th, and I approve of the real life selection here with their second one. Artis-Payne played just one season at Auburn (after previously playing in the JUCO ranks) and racked up over 1,600 yards rushing. A sturdy 5'10" and 212 pounds, Artis-Payne flashes the ability to either make a man miss or run through arm tackles, but he tends to get what his blockers provide him more often than not. There were a few times each game where the Auburn product would run into the backs of his blockers at the line of scrimmage and get wrestled to the ground without gaining any yardage. 

As a rotational back in Carolina, I think that Artis-Payne will be a solid backup to Jonathan Stewart and should not hold the offense back if forced into more playing time. He showed decent hands at the Senior Bowl and needs to work on his technique in pass protection. Running back projections are so volatile from the college ranks to the NFL, but Artis-Payne shows strong mental traits that should help him pick up the playbook quickly and allow him to provide value sooner. While he probably will never be a top-notch starter, Artis-Payne is a good back to have in the rotation that can provide 10 carries and 45 yards if called upon to carry a drive or two.

My grade: 82/100

Cameron Artis-Payne will not be as great as the last Cam the Panthers drafted out of Auburn, but he shows enough burst and strength to develop into a solid backup running back with spot start potential.

Projection: 13 games, 2 starts, 100 carries, 410 yards, 2 touchdowns, 14 receptions, 90 yards, 1 touchdown