The draft is over, but the college free agent signings have just begun. The Carolina Panthers have signed former Georgia running back Elijah Holyfield, according to a report by Ian Rapoport at NFL Network.
Holyfield is the son of former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield.
While his speed is nothing to write home about, Holyfield was an efficient runner in college whose specialty was adding yards after contact. As you might expect, he’s good at taking hits and keeping his balance while he runs. On the downside, he has almost no experience as a receiver whatsoever.
In 27 games with the Bulldogs, Holyfield carried the rock 215 times, totaling 1,340 yards and nine touchdowns.
Holyfield will have to compete for a spot on the roster with guys like Elijah Hood and Jordan Scarlett, the team’s No. 154 pick.
One thing this signing and the Scarlett pick make clear is the Panthers have given up on the idea of finding a running back who can match Christian McCaffrey’s skill set, or at least won’t tip plays as much. Instead, they’re going with the traditional change of pace idea to spell McCaffrey on the rare occasions he’s not on the field.
Carolina used its last pick of the draft on Holyfield’s college teammate, wide receiver Terry Godwin.
