Andre Carter II 2023 NFL Draft Profile
The hype surrounding Army’s Andre Carter II seems to have cooled considerably. A poor showing at the Senior Bowl forecast his downward projection. Some mocks had him as a sure-fire first-round pick, now the same can’t be said. What does the 2023 NFL Draft profile look like for Carter? Let’s talk about it.
As I mentioned above, he was arguably one of my biggest losers coming out of the week in Mobile. Nothing I saw looked like a first-round guy. The “speed and explosive skill set” he was touted for was certainly not there. It never looked like he was giving his all during drills, which is a major concern. It can’t be all negatives, right?
It’s not. The production is sort of there. In 2021, he finished the year with 15.5 sacks, good enough for second in the nation behind Alabama’s Will Anderson. He has the wingspan you’re looking for in an EDGE rusher as well (6-foot-10 in wingspan). You can’t teach frame, and he has it. If he adds some muscle, he could develop into someone you can count on to set the edge.
That’s one of my red flags. He lacks the strength to be a major player right away. 11 reps at the combine is awful. Andre Carter II lacks run defense skills. No skills with his hands. If he faces a double team, forget about it, he becomes useless. If he’s locked up by a tackle, he lacks the ability to break away and chase down someone outside. Picking Carter shows you don’t expect production right away, and you hope he can develop into a guy.
Andre Carter II gets a day-three grade from me. Guys taken in the first three rounds are expected to at least contribute, even on a minor level, right away. I believe Carter can’t do that. I couldn’t turn his card in with a top-100 pick and feel ok about it. I’ll pass.
