Andre Carter II NFL mock draft: Height-weight-speed combo could help Army prospect rise

Abraham Smith

It’s been a long time since an Army football player was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft – 76 years to be precise. Andre Carter II is hoping to change that in April.

Until recently, the 6-7, 260-pound edge rusher wasn’t even sure if he could achieve his dream of playing in the NFL. West Point graduates are typically required to spend five years of active service after graduation. But thanks to a recent policy change, he will be able to postpone his military engagement until after his professional football career ends, whenever that may be.

“The current policy for us is that you basically defer your duty of service until you’re done playing in the NFL,” he told PFT Live. “Then you go five years on active duty and three on the reserve.”

With his attention now squarely focused on a future in the NFL, Carter will be looking to impress the scouts gathered for the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this week.

MORE: Everything you need to know ahead of the 2023 NFL Combine

Here’s a look at what makes him such an exciting candidate and where he could end up in this year’s NFL Draft:

Andre Carter II scouting report

Carter is a big guy. A native of Missouri City, Texas, he has more than enough size and strength to be a real handful for NFL offensive linemen. He’s also fast, using his rare combination of speed and size to wreak havoc across the field.

Carter, unclassified as a recruit at Westbury Christian High School in Houston, switched from tight end to fullback at West Point, and it paid off immediately. In 2021, he amassed 15.5 sacks, the second-highest in all of FBS, behind only Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. Anderson is expected to finish in the top five in this year’s draft, showing what an elite company Carter is at.

But after his 2021 season, his stats have dropped significantly over the past year. He amassed just three sacks in 2022 and his total tackles fell from 44 to 37. Some of that can probably be explained by opponents duplicating him, but the sharp drop in production was enough to raise doubts among scouts and draft pundits .

MORE: Will Jalen Carter or Will Anderson Jr. be the first defensive player drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft?

The good news is that he’ll have a chance to change some minds at the NFL Combine this week. Its measurements are off the charts; He has a range of 6-10, which is sure to make defensive coaches sit up and take notice. He also has the potential to impress in agility and speed drills.

Carter certainly isn’t as polished as someone like Anderson, but he has all the physical tools to make a big impact at the highest level. He is likely to be picked in the second or third round with an outsider chance of advancing to the first round with an excellent combine performance.

Andre Carter II mock draft

In his latest mock draft, The Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer predicted that Carter would be selected by Jacksonville near the end of the second round.

“Should the Jaguars try to get Josh Allen into a trade, they need someone to help Travon Walker, the 2022 No. 1 overall winner,” Iyer wrote. “Carter is a prolific bag artist with some crazy qualities.”

Here’s where several pundits took Carter off the board in this year’s draft:

Andre Carter II Highlights

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