Report: Former Florida star Zachary Carter agrees to rookie contract with Bengals

On3 imageby:Steve Samra05/21/22

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Former Florida defensive lineman Zachary Carter has agreed to terms with the Bengals, according Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. Cincinnati selected the former Gators defender with the No. 95 overall pick in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

“Bengals have agreed to terms with third-round draft pick Zach Carter on a maximum compensation deal, per his agent @Damien_Butler8 and will sign Monday,” tweeted Wilson.

During his time at Florida, Carter amassed 102 total tackles, 17.0 sacks and two forced fumbles over four seasons. Now, he’ll be looking to make his presence felt with the reigning AFC champions.

Moreover, Carter was a former four-star recruit according to the On3 Consensus rankings, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. He played high school football for Hillsborough, and is a Florida native who played all four seasons of his college career with the Gators.

Additionally, Zachary Carter notably was among players who considered sitting out for the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, as he lost friends of his family to the pandemic. Ultimately, Carter decided to play and led the Gators for the season with five sacks and recorded 9.5 tackles for a loss.

The former Gators defensive lineman continued his dominance into the 2021 season by starting all 12 games for the Gators and recording 11 tackles for a loss with eight sacks. He did not play in Florida’s bowl game, as he focused on NFL draft preparations.

What NFL draft analysts are saying about Zachary Carter

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein views Zachary Carter as a versatile player who has all the physical tools needed to play defensive line at the NFL level. Despite his size and strength however, Zierlein doesn’t believe he has played up to his talents on the field and is a questionable run-stopper.

“Carter is viewed as position versatile, with the ability to play defensive end in an odd or even front,” said Zierlein. “His skilled hands and quick feet make him a perfect candidate to move inside in nickel packages as a rusher. Some evaluators like his girth and envision him adding weight to become a full-time three-technique in a one-gapping front. Carter possesses the anchor for the point of attack, but needs to improve his stack-and-shed technique to make more plays in the run game. He’s a skilled, thoughtful rusher, but a fluctuating motor creates inconsistencies on tape.

“The sum doesn’t always equal the parts, but he has the size and skill to become a quality starter with splashy, interior rush potential.”