From Mike Tolbert on down, the Carolina Panthers have a strong tradition of finding power backs who excel at grinding out inches and yards in short situations. Carolina added another one in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL draft with Florida’s Jordan Scarlett, who they picked at No. 154 overall.
At the combine, Scarlett posted a 4.47 second 40-yard dash, which isn’t particularly impressive for a running back. However, he did showcase his power with 21 bench press reps.
Scarlett has had some off field issues, including a misdemeanor for marijuana possession as a freshman. He will have to compete with Cameron Artis-Payne and Elijah Hood for playing time behind Christian McCaffrey.
Overall, this was a reach of a pick. The Panthers probably could have gotten Scarlett later on or even as a UDFA. Literally any safety or nickel cornerback prospect would have been a better use of draft capital at this point.
