Florida State CB Tony Carter Is Undersized, But Still A Quality Corner
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008CB Tony Carter is rising on our draft board due to his steady, smart play. The draft is all about trying to find players who will outperform their draft position and be worth every penny. The Florida State corner has a small frame and is undersized at five foot nine and maybe 170 pounds. This will undoubtedly drop his draft stock.
Every player selected in the mid-to-late rounds has flaws or perceived weaknesses. The trick is to correctly evaluate which players bring something to the table that will enable them to be productive, despite being small or a step slow.
Carter is a favorite among Florida State coaches because he is a durable, productive player. He has missed only 2 games in his college career to date and has played extensively as a four-year starter. Carter has a problematic shoulder that pops out of socket. He has learned to play through this and will drop his shoulder and upend receivers on occasion.
The Seminoles’ most reliable cornerback has quick feet, solid instincts and a knack for taking interceptions all the way back (3 touchdowns). In addition, he can return punts and will not hesitate to quickly head upfield. He reminds me of former NFL wide receiver, Kelvin Martin, as a punt returner. Martin was only 165 pounds, yet played ten years of pro ball as a back-up receiver and punt returner. I can see Tony Carter carving out a niche for himself as a back-up cornerback and contributing on special teams in the NFL.
