Carolina Panthers sign eight, including top draft pick, on eve of rookie minicamp

Three Carolina Panthers draft picks, including the team’s first-round selection Christian McCaffrey, signed standard four-year rookie contracts on Thursday night, the team reported on its website.

McCaffrey – a running back who can play wide receiver and return kicks — was the draft’s eighth overall pick. At Stanford, McCaffrey broke Barry Sanders' single-season all-purpose yards record in 2015, totaling 3,864 yards.

Also signing a day ahead of the opening of this weekend’s rookie minicamp were second-round pick Taylor Moton, an offensive lineman from Western Michigan, and sixth-rounder Alex Armah, a fullback from West Georgia.

Five undrafted rookies also signed Thursday – Clemson linebacker Ben Boulware, Mississippi State wide receiver Fred Ross, Florida defensive end Bryan Cox, Charlotte 49ers wide receiver Austin Duke and Notre Dame cornerback Cole Luke.

Terms of the deals weren't disclosed Thursday night. However, after the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement established a rookie wage scale, the signing process for NFL draft picks became a formality, for the most part.

This story was originally published May 5, 2017 at 2:13 AM with the headline "Carolina Panthers sign eight, including top draft pick, on eve of rookie minicamp."