Bruce Carter (American football)
Encyclopedia
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Bruce Carter is an American football
linebacker
for the Dallas Cowboys
. He was considered one of the top linebacker prospects for the 2011 NFL Draft
.
, safety and running back
. As a senior he rushed for 1,063 yards with 15 touchdowns as a running back and threw for 585 yards and five touchdowns as a quarterback.
Considered a three-star recruit by Rivals.com
, Carter was listed as the No. 33 safety prospect in the nation.
in college. In the Tar Heels' season opener, against James Madison, Carter got his first blocked punt. The football was recovered in the end zone by a fellow Tar Heel for a touchdown. Carter started his first game as a Tar Heel in the game against East Carolina, he garnered four tackles during the game. As a freshman in 2007 Carter started seven of 12 games, recording 25 tackles
.
, an interception, which was returned for a touchdown
, and a nation leading five blocked kicks.
. Carter was voted to Second-Team All-ACC. This was Carter's only season where he did not record a blocked punt.
. He would miss the last two games of the season against Duke
and the 2010 Music City Bowl
, which was played against Tennessee Volunteers
. Carter was a finalist for the 2010 Butkus Award, but lost to Von Miller
of Texas A&M. He finished his final season as a Tar Heel with 57 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Carter was again voted to Second-Team All-ACC.
in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft
.
On July 29, 2011, Carter signed a four-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys
.
On October 29, 2011, Carter was activated from the non-football injury list to the Dallas Cowboys 53 man active roster, taking the roster spot of recently waived Tashard Choice.
}}
Bruce Carter is an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. He was considered one of the top linebacker prospects for the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
.
Early years
Carter attended Havelock High School in Havelock, North Carolina. He played quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, safety and running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. As a senior he rushed for 1,063 yards with 15 touchdowns as a running back and threw for 585 yards and five touchdowns as a quarterback.
Considered a three-star recruit by Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
, Carter was listed as the No. 33 safety prospect in the nation.
Freshman season
Carter was converted to linebackerLinebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in college. In the Tar Heels' season opener, against James Madison, Carter got his first blocked punt. The football was recovered in the end zone by a fellow Tar Heel for a touchdown. Carter started his first game as a Tar Heel in the game against East Carolina, he garnered four tackles during the game. As a freshman in 2007 Carter started seven of 12 games, recording 25 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
.
Sophomore season
As a sophomore in 2008 Carter started all 13 games at outside linebacker. In the game against Rutgers, Carter intercepted a pass and returned it 66 yards for a touchdown, this was the first touchdown of his career. In the Tar Heels' game against Miami, Carter blocked one punt. The blocked punt proved to be crucial, as the Tar Heels drove 56 yards down the field and scored after the punt was blocked. One of Bruce Carter's best games of his sophomore season was the game against Connecticut. The blocking of three punts in one game earned Carter the ACC record for most punts blocked in a single game. In that game he recorded three blocked punts, all of which occurred during the second quarter of the game. In the Tar Heels' loss to the Virginia Cavaliers, Carter blocked a Cavalier field goal attempt. He finished the season with 68 tackles, five sacksQuarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
, an interception, which was returned for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
, and a nation leading five blocked kicks.
Junior season
Carter started all 13 games as an outside linebacker. Carter tipped a punt in the Tar Heel's game against the Citadel. In the Tar Heels' game against Georgia Southern, Carter intercepted a pass and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown, this was Carter's second career touchdown. As a junior in 2009, Carter has 48 tackles, a sack, and an interception. Carter earned a career high 13 tackles in the game against NC StateNC State Wolfpack football
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Wolfpack currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference....
. Carter was voted to Second-Team All-ACC. This was Carter's only season where he did not record a blocked punt.
Senior season
Carter returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown in the third game of the season against Rutgers. In that game Carter also recorded a blocked punt and seven tackles. Carter's senior season was cut short due to a knee injury, which dropped his draft stock. He sustained the injury during the game against NC StateNC State Wolfpack football
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Wolfpack currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference....
. He would miss the last two games of the season against Duke
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
and the 2010 Music City Bowl
2010 Music City Bowl
The 2010 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl was the 13th edition of the college football bowl game and was played at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee. The game was played on Thursday, December 30, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. CST and telecast on ESPN...
, which was played against Tennessee Volunteers
2010 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2010 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2010 college football season. The team was coached by Derek Dooley who is in his first season as the 22nd coach in UT football history. The Vols played their home games at Neyland Stadium and competed in the...
. Carter was a finalist for the 2010 Butkus Award, but lost to Von Miller
Von Miller
Von Miller is an American football linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted second overall by the Broncos in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M....
of Texas A&M. He finished his final season as a Tar Heel with 57 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Carter was again voted to Second-Team All-ACC.
Professional career
Carter was selected 40th overall by the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
.
On July 29, 2011, Carter signed a four-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
.
On October 29, 2011, Carter was activated from the non-football injury list to the Dallas Cowboys 53 man active roster, taking the roster spot of recently waived Tashard Choice.