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Pros, cons of Cincinnati Bengals picking Clemson's Barrett Carter in 2025 NFL Draft
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- Pros, cons of Cincinnati Bengals picking Clemson's Barrett Carter in 2025 NFL Draft
Linebacker Barrett Carter from Clemson football is officially an NFL rookie after the Cincinnati Bengals picked him in the 2025 NFL Draft on April 26.
Carter was selected No. 119 overall in the fourth round. He was Clemon's first player taken in this year's draft.
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Here's what Carter brings to Cincinnati, based on our own observations from his tenure at Clemson :
What Barrett Carter brings to Cincinnati Bengals in 2025 NFL Draft
The 6-foot linebacker became the seventh player in Clemson history to be a finalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker. He has a nose for the football and the athleticism to cover running backs out the backfield
After not taking part in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, Carter ran 4.64 seconds in the 40-yard dash at Clemson's Pro Day , which would have ranked in the top 15 of linebackers at the scouting combine.
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Barrett Carter highlights, strengths, weaknesses at Clemson football
Carter recorded three double-digit tackle games last season, including a career high of 12 against Pitt. One of his tackles came when a running back beat him out of the backfield, but Carter denied a potential touchdown by making a shoelace tackle.
Against Kentucky in the Gator Bowl in December 2023, he recorded four pass deflections, showcasing his ability to cover.
Carter has playmaking quickness and possesses the speed to chase down players sideline to sideline and excel in coverage. He is an intelligent and tough defender who stands out as a blitzer and can go after mobile quarterbacks. There's room for growth in his pursuit angles, and he is undersized compared to the ideal size for NFL linebackers.
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Barrett Carter stats at Clemson football
Across 52 games (40 starts), Carter recorded:
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233 tackles (31.5 for loss and 12.5 sacks)
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24 pass deflections
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Three interceptions
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Two forced fumbles
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Pros, cons of Bengals picking Clemson's Barrett Carter in NFL Draft
