Malachi Carter had played four seasons for Georgia Tech and had the opportunity to turn professional. Having shown superior ability to win balls in the air, the strength to break tackles and the determination to block on the perimeter, he likely would have had the attention of NFL scouts.
But the NCAA’s decision to grant athletes an extra season of eligibility because of COVID-19 gave Carter the option to return for a fifth season.
The hire of offensive coordinator Chip Long tilted his thinking.
“Once I saw who was coming in for the offensive coordinator change, that’s when I was like, ‘OK, I think I’m going to stay and try to run it back one more time,’” Carter said. “I’ve got one more (year), why not use it? That’s my goal – make this the best one, and then the NFL.”
Carter has been the picture of consistency for the Yellow Jackets. In the past three seasons, he has played in all 34 games and started in all but one. In the past two seasons, he has caught passes in 17 of Tech’s 22 games. He led the Jackets last season with 37 catches (tied with Kyric McGowan) and 489 receiving yards, both career highs.
With the departure of five full-time starters from Tech’s 2021 offense and three of the team’s top four pass catchers (Jahmyr Gibbs, Adonicas Sanders and McGowan), Carter’s return was highly critical for an offense that also is undergoing a scheme change and a team that is trying to break from three consecutive three-win seasons.
Because of an injury, Carter was limited in Tech’s spring practice that ended last week but liked what he saw from Long’s scheme.
“It’s been a great challenge,” Carter said. “This offense I’d say is a little more complex – formations, concepts, throwing a lot at us early just to get us on board with how much we’re about to do this year. And, honestly, it’s exciting just seeing the freedom that we have in the offense, how much the receivers are utilized in it, all the skill positions.”
Carter has been through a lot. Arriving in 2018 from Mountain View High, he is one of five players on the roster to have played in former coach Paul Johnson’s offense (running back Dontae Smith, wide receiver PeJé Harris and offensive linemen Mike Maye and William Lay are the others, though none of those four actually played in a game for Johnson).
“It's crazy. I remember being 18 with Paul Johnson here, being a freshman, still trying to understand what college football's like, and now it's like I'm teaching the young guys."
Long’s offense will be his third. He has played with six different starting quarterbacks.
“It’s crazy,” Carter said. “I remember being 18 with Paul Johnson here, being a freshman, still trying to understand what college football’s like, and now it’s like I’m teaching the young guys. Like, I get freshmen coming in the receiver (meeting) room and they were born in ‘03. I’m like, ‘03? Then it just makes you think about, ‘Man, I’ve been here for a little while.’”
Carter, born way back in 2000, has willingly adopted the role of locker-room elder. There are several receivers to shepherd. Of the scholarship receivers on the roster, all but one arrived in 2020 or later, with Kalani Norris a 2019 arrival.
“The young guys definitely look to him as a leader,” Norris said. “I even look to him as a leader, and he’s always there for us. Like, even if he’s not practicing on the field, he’s doing signals, keeping us involved and just really giving us tips on what he sees on the field.”
Carter is showing leadership that was shown to him by the likes of former Tech receivers Brad Stewart and Jalen Camp.
“Those guys were real cool,” Carter said. “They weren’t the, ‘I’m too good, don’t say anything to me, I’m a senior’ (type). They were really helpful when I first came in, I think because they saw the potential in me. Especially Brad. He used to always let me know, ‘You’re better than you think you are. I just want you to know that you can really play right now.’ And I think because of that motivation and encouragement, that’s what allowed me to play as a true freshman.”
With receivers like McGowan and Sanders gone, Carter figures to play a significant role both as a target, but also in helping develop receivers such as D.J. Moore, James BlackStrain, Ryan King and others.
All while learning a new offense and moving toward graduation. (He’s on track to earn his degree in literature, media and communications this fall.)
Said Carter, “Time just moves so fast.”
