Cat Scratch Reader
Carolina currently holds picks No. 140, 146, and 153 in this year’s draft. Does it matter?
The Carolina Panthers currently hold three fifth-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. By that point in the draft most teams are just scratching lottery tickets, hoping to find a player who can make the 53-man roster, play special teams, and ideally provide some adequate depth.
As I’ve stated in Trade Downs Island’s glorious constitution, few players drafted in Rounds 5-7 go on to have meaningful NFL careers. Sometimes the best thing teams can do with fifth-round picks is use them as trade fodder in this year’s draft, or try to trade them for fourth-round picks next year.
Why am I so down on fifth-round picks? Let’s let the Panthers draft history from 2016 through 2021 tell the story:
2021 - Daviyon Nixon, defensive tackle
Career stats: 14 games, 0 starts, 15 tackles, 0.5 sacks
Nixon’s career lasted just two seasons, both with the Panthers. His rookie campaign was somewhat promising with nine tackles over seven games with half a sack. He played 82 defensive snaps that year, but that dropped to 62 defensive snaps in 2022 before being waived.
Nixon wasn’t on an NFL roster in 2023 but was signed in 2024 by the Miami Dolphins, though he didn’t survive roster cuts. In February 2025 he signed with the UFL’s Arlington Renegades and is currently playing.
2021 - Keith Taylor, cornerback
Career stats: 45 games, 5 starts, 72 tackles, 6 passes defended (still active)
The first two seasons of Keith Taylor’s career were successful for a fifth-round pick. In his first two years with the Panthers he appeared in all 34 games with five starts, recording 67 tackles, six passes defended, and two fumble recoveries. Despite the stats, his 2022 PFF grade of 53.8 ranked just 106th of 122 cornerbacks. The production didn’t keep pace with the opportunity. The Panthers released him after the 2022 season.
He spent 2023 on the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad then made the active roster in 2024. Last year he appeared in 11 games with five tackles, logging 79 defensive snaps and 132 on special teams. He signed last month with the Atlanta Falcons.
2020 - Kenny Robinson Jr., safety
Career stats: 19 games, 1 start, 18 tackles
As with Nixon and Taylor, Kenny Robinson lasted all of two seasons with the Panthers. In his first two campaigns he appeared in 19 games with one start, registering 18 tackles. In all he played 188 defensive snaps and 295 on special teams before being released.
He spent 2023 training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers but was let go during roster cuts. Robinson has spent the last two seasons with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions and is currently playing.
2019 - Jordan Scarlett, running back
Career stats: 10 games, 0 starts, 4 rushes, 9 yards; 1 tackle
In his 2019 rookie season Scarlett played eight offensive snaps and carried the ball four times for nine yards. While his offensive impact...
