Barrett Carter LB Clemson | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Barrett Carter LB Clemson
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| PLAY STYLE: COVERAGE LB | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 04/16/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.63 seconds (73%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 22.6 DOB: 10/23/2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| PLAY STYLE: COVERAGE LB | |
| Last Updated: 04/16/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.63 seconds (73%*) | |
| Age: 22.6 DOB: 10/23/2002 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 84.3 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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72% |
| Pass Rush: |
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73% |
| Run Defense: |
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81% |
| Coverage: |
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53% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
3rd
Overall Rank:
#93
Position rank:
#7
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| College Games: 50 College Snaps: 2430 | ||
ESPN RATING: 84/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 98/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.1 (100%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cam Jones - Indiana |
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89% |
| Henry To'oTo'o - Alabama |
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83% |
| D'Marco Jackson - Appalachian State |
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79% |
Drafted: ROUND: 4 - Pick Number: 119 (CIN)
Draft Profile: Bio
Barrett Carter's journey has been marked by consistent excellence rather than overnight stardom. A decorated five-star recruit who earned Maxwell Football Club's Defensive National High School Player of the Year honors, Carter brought a rare blend of offensive and defensive prowess to Death Valley, including a 197-yard rushing performance in his final state playoff game.At Clemson, Carter evolved into a defensive chess piece for Dabo Swinney's squad, amassing 254 tackles and establishing himself as just the fifth linebacker of the Swinney era to earn multiple All-ACC selections. His versatility shone through in 2022 when he joined elite company alongside Butkus Award winners Nakobe Dean and Isaiah Simmons as recent Power Five players to record double-digit tackles for loss, multiple sacks, interceptions, and forced fumbles in a single season.
Carter's senior campaign solidified his legacy as he earned Butkus Award finalist honors while captaining the Tigers' defense. His iron man durability was showcased through 838 snaps - the most by a Clemson linebacker since Ben Boulware in 2016. Throughout his career, Carter displayed a unique ability to impact every phase of defense, becoming the sole FBS player during his tenure to accumulate at least 30 tackles for loss, 20 pass breakups, and three interceptions.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Unleashes controlled chaos in the run game, consistently staying square to the line while sifting through traffic to find the ball with natural instincts
- Fires downhill like a heat-seeking missile, showing explosive burst through gaps and natural timing when attacking the line of scrimmage
- Takes on blocks with serious pop in his hands, consistently jolting tight ends backward before violently disengaging to pursue
- Brings the thunder as a tackler between the tackles, showing consistent wrap-up technique and driving through contact with bad intentions
- Natural feel for working through traffic, using quick feet and leverage to slice between blocks without losing momentum to the ball
- Shows impressive range flowing sideline-to-sideline, eating up ground with long strides and closing burst to the perimeter
- Effective blitzer with natural timing and burst, consistently catching protection schemes off-balance with his acceleration
- Disciplined eyes in zone coverage, maintaining proper depth and showing awareness of route combinations developing around him
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Struggles to disengage once offensive linemen lock onto his frame, particularly against guards who can match his power at point of attack
- Shows some hesitation diagnosing play direction against teams that utilize heavy pre-snap motion and misdirection
- Can get caught flat-footed in man coverage, allowing separation at the top of routes rather than staying in phase through breaks
- Sometimes takes circuitous pursuit angles to the ball, creating extra space for runners to exploit in the open field
- Will occasionally overrun plays from the backside, creating cutback lanes by getting too aggressive flowing to the ball
Scouting Report: Summary
Carter projects as an impactful early-down linebacker who can develop into a three-down role with technical refinement in coverage. His explosive burst and natural feel for navigating the box shine brightest when he's attacking downhill, suggesting an ideal fit as a MIKE or SAM linebacker in an aggressive front.His most natural NFL fit will be with teams employing multiple defensive fronts that emphasize linebacker aggression in the run game. Defensive coordinators will appreciate his ability to stack and shed tight ends while bringing serious thump as a tackler. While he'll need development in man coverage assignments, his immediate impact will come as an enforcer against the run with special teams value.
Look for Carter to make his mark early as a base defense linebacker and special teams ace while developing his coverage skills. His ceiling will be determined by how quickly he can improve his man coverage technique, but his floor as a punishing run defender and blitzer makes him a valuable addition to any defensive front seven needing youth and explosiveness at the second level.
Written By:
Felix Green (ACC)
Barrett Carter percentiles vs other Linebackers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Barrett Carter (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
91.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
11.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.