Andre Carter II Scouting Report and NFL Draft Profile
Andre Carter II Scouting Report: Army LB/DE
2023 NFL Draft Measurements
40-Yard Dash: 4.60 (estimated)
6‘7“ / 260 lbs.
Andre Carter II Draft Profile
This soft-spoken linebacker actually played most of his high school career as a wide receiver. After being stuck behind other players and getting little-to-no playing time, his parents moved to the New England area. This was where the then 6’5” Andre would meet and play for Dave Dykeman at Cheshire Academy. As the story is told, Coach Dykeman (now the Director of Special Projects for the XFL) took one look at Carter and informed him that he was now going to be playing defense. This was a move that proved extremely beneficial for the barely recruited player, as he would flourish on the defensive side of the ball. Carter says that he loves rushing the passer, and gives credit to his success to watching the Chicago Bears’ defense with his dad. He mentions that he took a lot from the likes of Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers, and Khali Mack.
While he wasn’t heavily recruited, he did catch the attention of Army and eventually enrolled at the academy. Over his first two seasons, he would only see actions in 10 games, making two starts. In 2021, that all changed. He would become a full-time starter and put in one of the best pass rushing performances in the nation. Following his junior year, he was named to the AP All-American team (the first Black Knight to do so in 31 years), and would be named a pre-season All-American heading into 2022. He would finish his collegiate career with 99 tackles (62 solo), 20 sacks, and two interceptions. Based on draft experts projections, he has a great shot at becoming a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. If that happens, he would be the first Cadet to earn that honor since 1947.
Military Service Agreement
However, there’s a big road block that has stopped the handful of military academy’s prospects in the pass. That of course being their military service agreement. Thankfully for Andre, in 2019 the Pentagon and Trump Administration amended a rule within the National Defense Authorization Act. Previously Cadets had to wait two years after they graduated before accepting any professional contract offers. Now, with the amendment, they can defer their service if offered a professional contract. Although the Department of Defense can recall them if they see fit.
So with that Andre Carter is ready to take his chances on living a dream of playing in the NFL. But how does he stack up?
Strengths
Explodes off the Snap
While he is listed as a linebacker on the depth chart, I would label Andre as an edge rusher. Though he did drop into coverage from time to time, we’ll get into that more in a second, he was primarily a rusher. One of the first things I learned to do when scouting an edge rusher was to watch how they come out of their stance on the snap. Let me tell you, Carter can explode off the snap. And, if he times it just right, he can be in the backfield before the lineman ever has a chance to touch him. I was also impressed with his overall athleticism for a player of his size. Along with his ‘get up’ off the snap, he showed a nice ability to shoot the gaps between lineman to get pressure.
Comfortable in Coverage
When I first saw the measurables for Andre, I was expecting someone that lumbered around the field more than ran. However, it was just the opposite. I already mentioned that Carter was more athletic than I anticipated for a player of his size. Still, I wasn’t expecting him to be as smooth dropping back into coverage. Then I learned that he played wide receiver and tight end in high school. Now it makes more sense to me. He’s clearly been able to transfer some of those offensive skills over to his defensive game.
Plays Special Teams
This might not seem like a big deal, especially when you consider that Carter is considered to be a potential first-round pick. But playing on special teams is something that just about every young player in the NFL will have to do. While it was only defensively on field goal attempts, the fact that Andre already has experience with this is a plus in my book. Once you consider his 6’7” frame, you can just about lock him into the same role with whichever team he ends up with. But rather than needing to be coached up and explained what to do, he can just step in and fill the role.
Weaknesses
Questions About Strength
All of Carter’s traits translate to Andre going in the first round of many mock drafts, including DraftDive’s own midseason mock. However, my biggest question mark is his play strength. I had high expectations of watching him just bull rush offensive lineman into the quarterback. However, I was caught off guard by the number of times a lineman could stop him in a one-on-one battle. Carter still won his fair share, but I would have liked to see a little more dominance in this area at the level he was playing.
What to Make of ‘22
Carter came out of nowhere in 2021. His 15.5 sacks were second to only Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr., and more than 2022 Top 5 NFL Draft pick Aidan Hutchinson. However, those sacks dropped to just three in 2022, as well as just 37 total tackles for the year (only had 44 in 2021). Now, I’ll say that some of that can be attributed to teams games planning for him. But even when comparing his 2022 film to 2021, in 2021 he just seemed more explosive and impactful overall. So was the drop-off simply from team’s game planning to take him out of the game, or was 2021 more of a flash in the pan? That’s going to be a tough one for NFL teams to figure out.
Andre Carter II Draft Stock
While I might have some concerns about his production in 2022, that hasn’t been the case elsewhere. Most mock drafts that I’ve seen have him going in the first round. While most of these have been anywhere in the late 20’s, I have seen a couple with him as high as #14 (to the New England Patriots). I personally see him on that borderline of late first-round to early-second round pick. A good showing at the NFL Combine, and a couple of good interviews with teams, could be all he needs to lock-up a first-round selection.
Final Thoughts on Andre Carter II Scouting Report
Maybe it’s because I’m also a member of the military, but I have a bit of a soft spot for Andre. I understand that we’re not given much freedom to pursue things outside of our military contract, and I hope that he’s able to take full advantage of this opportunity he’s been provided. While I think his 2022 production did hurt his draft stock throughout the year, I don’t think that it’s enough to take him out of first-round consideration.
Andre Carter II Player Comparison
Jason Taylor. I know comparing someone to a NFL Hall of Famer might be a little much. But I see a good number of similarities in their game. Just in regards to size, ‘get up’ off the snap, and athleticism. I do think that Taylor was stronger coming out of college.
Andre Carter II Scouting Report Analyst – Brandon Claburn
