How Did Florida Gators DL Zachary Carter Perform at the NFL Combine?

Florida Gators defensive lineman Zachary Carter put together a solid performance at the 2022 NFL Combine.

Photo: Zachary Carter; Credit: Zach Goodall

Much like his former Florida Gators teammates Kaiir Elam, Dameon Pierce and Jeremiah Moon, defensive lineman Zachary Carter was able to showcase his skills to scouts and coaches at the 2022 NFL Combine as he prepares to hear his name called in April's NFL Draft.

Carter, standing at 6-foot-4, 282 pounds with 33.5-inch arms and 10.25-inch hands, participated in four drills at the Combine. He posted a 4.99-second 40-yard dash, 19 reps on the bench press, 27.5 inches in the vertical jump and 110 inches (nine feet, two inches) in the broad jump. His 10-yard split during the 40-yard dash was 1.73 seconds.

His testing numbers weren't necessarily great, but teams will interpret them differently depending on the defensive scheme they utilize and how Carter would fit in.

Carter was listed as a defensive end for the event, which made his numbers a bit underwhelming as he was lumped in with both one-gap defensive ends and true edge rushers who are generally slimmer and more athletic. 

Yet, comparing Carter's results to one-gap defensive ends historically, his performance was close to average despite weighing roughly 15 pounds more than the typical end. Per MockDraftable, the average defensive end has put up a 4.83-second 40-yard dash, 1.66 10-yard split, 23.6 reps on the bench, 33.1-inch vertical and 114.9-inch (nine feet, 6.9 inches) broad.

And if you were to look at Carter's results compared to defensive tackles historically, his numbers turn out to be above average across the board. 

In fact, his 40-yard dash and 10-yard split times were great compared to the average defensive tackle, according to Kent Lee Platte's Relative Athletic Score model. The 10-yard split, in particular, is an important test for defensive linemen as it tests their short-area explosion.

Zachary Carter is a DT prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored an unofficial 6.71 RAS at the Combine out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 437 out of 1325 DT from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/ISSiQ6wcBo #RAS via @Mathbomb pic.twitter.com/HHaX3O1JzQ

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 6, 2022

Carter is likely to be deemed as a "tweener" prospect, as his height and weight are slightly bigger than the standard defensive end yet smaller than the usual defensive tackle. He may not be a universal fit across the NFL, but teams who run a defensive front similar to Florida's that will move Carter between the edge and interior can maximize his skill-set and turn him into a productive pro.

During his career at Florida, Carter compiled 102 tackles, 17 sacks, 26 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and eight defended passes in five seasons.

Stay tuned to AllGators for continuous coverage of Florida Gators football, basketball and recruiting. Follow along on social media at @SI_AllGators on Twitter and Florida Gators on Sports Illustrated on Facebook.