Barrett Carter

Clemson

LB

Prospect Info

College

Clemson

Hometown

Class

Suwanee, GA

Senior

 

Height

6’ 0’’

Weight

231 lbs

Arm

32 1/8’’

Hand

9 1/4’’

Analysis

By Lance Zierlein

NFL Analyst

Draft Projection

Round 4

NFL Comparison

Christian Harris

Overview

Prototypical three-down linebacker who added muscle mass in 2024 without losing playmaking quickness. Carter overcomes average instincts and recognition with full-field range and elite body control in pursuit, though there is room for improvement with both his angles and leverage. Carter can play around or off the block and has the agility and reaction quickness for sudden adjustments as an open-field tackler. He’s capable in man coverage and stands out as both a blitzer and a spy for mobile quarterbacks. Carter’s demeanor, versatility and athletic profile give him a good chance of becoming a quality starter as a run-and-chase Will linebacker.

Strengths

• Prototypical range and athleticism to patrol across the field.
• Has skill set to stack up impact plays around and behind the line of scrimmage.
• Good stick-and-move hands and short-area quicks to elude blocks.
• Outstanding pacing and change-of-direction talent when pursuing in space.
• Agile with a twitchy burst to close distance to tackle in short spaces.
• Standout blitzer and an ideal quarterback spy.
• Enough coverage talent to run and carry backs in space.

Weaknesses

• Instincts and diagnosis success are just average.
• Needs to play with more consistent pursuit angles to the ball.
• Impatience leads to overflow and loss of run fits.
• Slows feet into contact instead of running feet through tackles.
• Inconsistent to swoop in and challenge lead blocks with violence.

Sources Tell Us

“I think he’s a better football player than Trenton Simpson (third-round LB out of Clemson in 2023). He may not run as fast, but [Carter] just has a lot better feel for the game.” – AFC executive

 

Interview with him 

 

ACC Tape 

 

 

NFL network said he's played some edge.

Might we get our first Bengals #0 ever? 

LB9 Barrett Carter Clemson, 4SR

HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOL BIRTHDAY AGE HT WT NUM
Suwanee, GA North Gwinnett Oct 23, 2002 22.50 6001 232 #0

 

BACKGROUND: Barrett Carter, who has two older sisters, grew up in Chicago. His parents (Barrett Carter Sr. and Alexis) moved the family to
Suwanee, Ga., a northeast suburb of Atlanta, when he was 7. He started playing football at age 5 but blossomed in the sport after the move to
Georgia. Carter's first love was baseball, and he was also active in basketball (his dad has a basketball background). Playing primarily running back
and wide receiver, he quickly established himself as one of the top players in the North Gwinnett Youth football program and in middle school.
Carter attended North Gwinnett High. He initially played on the freshman team before moving up to varsity later in the year (as a running back) and
helping the program capture the 2017 7A state championship (first state title in school history). Despite his objections, the varsity coaches moved
him to linebacker as a sophomore in 2018 (Carter: "I hated defense, I had never really played it before.") — he finished with 51 tackles and seven
tackles for loss. As a junior, Carter led North Gwinnett to 12 wins and the 2019 regional title, finishing with 73 tackles and 10 sacks. In a
pandemic-shortened senior season, he did a little bit of everything on offense (wildcat quarterback, running back and wide receiver) and defense
(linebacker and safety). Carter was named National Defensive High School Player of the Year with 49 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, five sacks and a
79-yard interception return for a touchdown. He rushed for 429 yards (9.3 average) and 10 touchdowns, made seven catches for 68 yards and
threw a 13-yard touchdown pass.

 

A five-star recruit, Carter was the third-ranked linebacker in the 2021 recruiting class and the No. 3 recruit in Georgia. He was the 33rd-ranked
recruit nationally, one spot behind his future Clemson teammate Will Shipley. Carter received his first scholarship offer (Temple) after his freshman
season in May 2018. His recruitment blew up after his sophomore season, when he received offers from Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame and Texas
A&M. Carter received more than 60 scholarship offers in all before narrowing his final choice to Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State. After his visit to
Clemson, he committed to head coach Dabo Swinney in May 2020. Carter, who had been recruited by former defensive coordinator Brent
Venables, was the second-ranked recruit in Clemson's 2021 class. He was a three-time ACC Honor Roll honoree and graduated with a degree in
sports communications (Dec. 2024). Carter declined his invitation to the Senior Bowl.

 

YEAR (GP/GS) TKLS TFL SACK FF PD INT NOTES
2021: (13/1) 16 1.0 0.0 0 1 0 3-yard fumble-return TD; enrolled August 2001
2022: (13/13) 73 10.5 5.5 2 10 2 Honorable Mention All-ACC; missed one game (concussion)
2023: (12/12) 62 9.5 3.5 0 6 1 Second Team All-ACC; missed one game (ankle)
2024: (14/14) 82 10.5 3.5 0 7 0 Third Team All-American; First Team All-ACC; led team in tackles; 4-yard rush TD (on senior day)
Total: (52/40) 233 31.5 12.5 2 24 3

 

HT WT HAND ARM WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP NOTES
COMBINE 6001 231 9 1/4 32 1/8 78 5/8 DNP DNP DNP 34 1/2 9'8" 4.41 DNP DNP No 40, three-cone, bench (choice)
PRO DAY 6001 232 9 32 3/8 78 4.63 2.68 1.59 33 DNP DNP DNP 22

 

STRENGTHS:
● Sudden speed and closes on the ball like a ravenous predator
● Frequently makes stops outside the numbers with perimeter range
● Quick to key on blocking scheme and flow to appropriate gap
● Able to slam on brakes mid-sprint to corral cutback angles
● Broken-tackle rate dropped from 20.5 percent in 2023 to 10 percent in '24
● Doesn't have any trouble turning and running with backs on wheel routes
● Tracks quarterback's eyes to get his hands in passing lanes (21 career passes defended)
● Rarely leaves the field (93 defensive snaps on the 2024 Pitt tape)
● Was a regular on punt coverage each of past three seasons (360 career punt/kickoff coverage snaps)
● Embraced veteran role in 2024 (defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin: "No one's more respected.")
● Missed only two games because of injury during four seasons at Clemson (52 games played)

 

WEAKNESSES:
● Longer arms than expected for his size but doesn't consistently use them effectively
● Needs to be more purposeful and well-timed with hands to shed road blocks
● Usually ends up where blockers want him to go
● Straight-line tendencies; looked slightly heavier and tighter on the 2024 tape
● Overcommits to gaps, leaving him late to scrape laterally and answer lane-changing runners
● Attacks high with only average finishing force, giving powerful runners the chance to escape his grasp
● Awareness in zone coverage brings both highs and lows
● Texas tight end Gunnar Helm bullied him at top of route
● Explosive downhill blitzer but needs clear lanes to be effective and lacks pass-rushing instincts
● Missed one game as sophomore after suffering concussion (Oct. 2022)

SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Clemson, Carter lined up as a MIKE linebacker in defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin's scheme (he was
originally recruited to play the "Cheetah" position that Isaiah Simmons popularized while with the Tigers). He rarely came off the field (59.4
defensive snaps per game the past three seasons) and posted steady production.

 

A speedy run-and-hit athlete, Carter is one of the best open-field pursuit defenders in this draft class and has genuine sideline-to-sideline range.
Though he tracks the ball well, he will run himself into roadblocks and needs to widen his vision and improve his take-on hands to avoid becoming
Velcroed to blockers. Overall, Carter plays with the type of pursuit speed that can be weaponized as both a run defender and cover man,
although he might be too reactionary and undersized for what some NFL schemes desire. At the very least, he will be lightning on special
teams coverages while fighting for footing on the linebacker depth chart.

 

GRADE: 4th round
 

 

Seems like a great kid and a piece Golden can utilize.

Another team captain like knight excellent pick and deserves a better grade than he got

 

Good, I like when we draft 2 LBs like Spikes and Simmons

Really like this pick. He really shows up - saw some Clemson games, and he flies around. Will be a nice add to ST too. Super impressive kid, team captain. 
 

Dabo loves him. Said he was one of the best players he’s had in his 20 years at Clemson. 

15 minutes ago, sois said:

Good, I like when we draft 2 LBs like Spikes and Simmons

 

Uh, those were first round guys. This whole draft had only 1 first round offball LB and he went at 31.

 

2 minutes ago, texbengal said:

Really like this pick. He really shows up - saw some Clemson games, and he flies around. Will be a nice add to ST too. Super impressive kid, team captain. 
 

Dabo loves him. Said he was one of the best players he’s had in his 20 years at Clemson. 

 

Dabo famously doesn't tell scouts the truth about his players. Read the quotes from scouts about Miles Murphy and the unreliability of statements from the Clemson staff.

 

 

11 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

 

Uh, those were first round guys. This whole draft had only 1 first round offball LB and he went at 31.

 

 

Dabo famously doesn't tell scouts the truth about his players. Read the quotes from scouts about Miles Murphy and the unreliability of statements from the Clemson staff.

 

 

But Dabo is a Christian guy, why would he lie? 😜

9 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

 

Uh, those were first round guys. This whole draft had only 1 first round offball LB and he went at 31.

 

 

Dabo famously doesn't tell scouts the truth about his players. Read the quotes from scouts about Miles Murphy and the unreliability of statements from the Clemson staff.

 

 

Thanks. Well, Dabo wouldn’t be the only one that pumps his players’ tires. 
 

And scouts’ jobs are to cull through the BS, whether it’s from coaches, other staff, the players themselves, or other people in their circle.

 

4 minutes ago, texbengal said:

Thanks. Well, Dabo wouldn’t be the only one that pumps his players’ tires. 
 

And scouts’ jobs are to cull through the BS, whether it’s from coaches, other staff, the players themselves, or other people in their circle.

 

 

Indeed, but do the Bengals have enough scouts or the right ones to do that? They didn't with Murphy. Just read the pre-draft quotes McGuinn had from pro scouts about him. 

 

Call from Zac