Falcons safety Jamal Carter, who was moved up from the practice squad to the 53-man roster Tuesday, is ready to help if needed.
He was released by Denver on Aug. 31 and signed by the Falcons on Sept. 1. The Falcons had been scouting Carter since facing him and the Broncos on Aug. 1.
Here’s what Carter had to say Wednesday:
On getting the call: "It was good. It felt good. When I first came here I just put my head down and (went to work). Like you know, whatever they decide to do. I put it in God's hands. When they called me, I was excited. I was ready to work."
On catching the Falcons' attention in the Hall of Fame game (Aug. 1): "As soon as I got in, I made like three or four tackles back to back."
On the Falcons scouting him: "I had no clue that I would be in Atlanta. I actually thought I'd be going to Arizona, but Atlanta called me, and I was excited because I'm from Miami. This is closer to home, and all my family wants to come to the games and everything."
On getting playing time with Keanu Neal out: "I feel like (he has some) big shoes to fill. I feel bad for Keanu. Prayers to him because that was a bad injury and everything. But I feel it's going to be good. I have to listen to the coaches, study the plays and do what I do."
On his injury last season: "Definitely, I got injured last year and he did, too. I couldn't imagine going down again. I would not want to go down that road a second time. Prayers up to him. I hope he stays focus and gets through it."
THE CARTER FILE
Jamal Carter, SS, Miami
Height: 6-feet-1 Weight: 215 pounds
Arm Length: 31 inches Hand size: 9 3/8 inches 40-yard dash: 4.64 seconds Bench press: 19 reps of 225 pounds Vertical jump: 35 inches Broad jump: 10 feet, 2 inches Three-cone drill: 7.17 seconds. Overview: Was not drafted after starting one season at Miami, but he signed with the Broncos. "A former four-star recruit, Carter committed to his hometown Miami over Florida State and LSU and was a rotational player his first three seasons with the Hurricanes – suspended for the 2015 bowl game (violation of team rules). Under the new coaching staff, he was named a senior captain and became a full-time starter in 2016, recording 85 tackles and three passes defended. Carter passes the eye test for a safety, filling out his uniform with toned muscle definition. He has adequate play range to cover half-field responsibilities in coverage, but his play recognition and instincts are inconsistent. Against the run, Carter has a physical appetite as a tackler, but his wild pursuit angles dent his batting average as a tackler. He also needs to improve his discipline and avoid the late hits. Overall, Carter has only one season of starting experience with mixed results, but he might be draftable for a team who sees untapped potential with his raw size and athleticism," from Dane Brugler's 2017 NFL Draft Guide, powered by NFLDraftScout.com and The Sports Xchange.
---
Subscribe to "The Bow Tie Chronicles" podcast with the AJC's D. Orlando Ledbetter on iTunes or on the new AJC sports podcasts page.
About the Author
