Cameron Artis-Payne NFL Draft 2015: Scouting Report, Grade for Panthers Rookie

STRENGTHS

A former JUCO player with limited wear and tear, Cameron Artis-Payne tops the third tier of running back prospects. Despite limited experience at Auburn, Artis-Payne shows natural instincts and patience with the ball in his hands. He’s a finisher with good body lean and the ability to pick up yards after contact. He has choppy, light feet, and you can see him toe-tapping to anticipate and then cut away from defenders. He has the juice to pull away from defenders and can rip off longer runs.

WEAKNESSES

Artis-Payne will get caught waiting behind the line of scrimmage and loses yards too often in those situations. He looks like a power runner at 212 pounds, but he doesn’t put his head down and ram through holes or create his own rushing lanes. You will see Artis-Payne pick up short-yardage conversions, but tough yards are seen less. His starting speed is average, and NFL defenses will be able to contain him on the outside.

PRO COMPARISON: Chris Polk, Philadelphia Eagles

A good all-around back, Artis-Payne is comparable to Chris Polk the NFL player, but he is not viewed as favorably as a healthy Polk was coming out of Washington.

2014 STATISTICS

Rushing Attempts     Rushing Yards      Touchdowns

FINAL GRADE: 5.30/9.00 (Quality Backup)