Jamal Carter could be a versatile gem as Denver Broncos UDFA

The Denver Broncos may have an undrafted gem on their hands in Miami safety Jamal Carter, who may have success as an in-the-box hybrid player…

With the NFL offseason in full swing, no topic should be considered off the table at this point. In discussing some of the more interesting position group competitions on the roster, friend of the site Aric Manthey offered a suggestion about undrafted rookie Jamal Carter that was particularly intriguing to me.

To preface his thought, we were discussing the possibilities the Broncos have at inside linebacker along with Brandon Marshall, Todd Davis, and Corey Nelson. Last year, Zaire Anderson (a 2015 practice squad member) forced the issue and made the team after an excellent offseason and pre-season.

Along with Anderson, the Broncos experienced some injuries and added Quentin Gause, a rookie out of Rutgers to the mix.

Anderson suffered a scary injury in the team’s final game of the season, even recalling at the time that he tried to get up and simply couldn’t. Whether Anderson, Gause, or anyone else on the roster, the Broncos’ depth on the inside doesn’t appear solidified.

That’s when the discussion turned to the potential of moving rookie safety Jamal Carter, one of the Broncos’ highest priority UDFA additions, to linebacker.

Maybe not necessarily asking him to add 15-20 pounds and moving to linebacker full-time, either. Perhaps Carter at 6-1, 218 pounds could play a similar role to that of Deone Bucannon (Arizona Cardinals) or even that of fellow Broncos No Fly Zone member T.J. Ward.

The option is certainly there, as Carter is a height-weight-speed NFL prototype at safety with hard-hitting ability and below average ball skills. Carter only started one full season at Miami (2016) and played primarily the single-high safety position, but it wasn’t necessarily his ideal position at the next level.

With his size, he could be utilized in the box covering running backs and tight ends one-on-one. He has the foot quickness to do so, and also the physicality.

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At the NFL Scouting Combine, Carter threw up 19 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. He’s a very strong, explosive athlete who doesn’t have blazing speed but has just enough of it. He led the Hurricanes’ talented secondary and their defense as a whole with 85 tackles this past season, so he obviously has a nose for the football.

Because of Carter’s raw athleticism and willingness to do whatever it takes to make plays, he could wind up making a significant impact on the Broncos’ special teams unit initially, perhaps growing into a safety/linebacker hybrid role. Training camp and the preseason will be a great opportunity to see what Carter is capable of.

Currently, the Broncos have a very interesting mix at the safety position. Darian Stewart is probably the most well-rounded of the group, excelling in coverage and run support. T.J. Ward is more effective in the box, and has the type of nastiness on the back end coaches love.

Justin Simmons is a freakish athlete who could emerge as the team’s top coverage safety in no time, and fellow 2016 rookie Will Parks is an instinctive player that can move around the formation and play deep, in the box, or nickel.

Carter adds another element of versatility and intrigue at safety, looking more like a smaller linebacker than a defensive back.

I did some research on Carter’s athletic measurables to find out what NFL player he physically and athletically compares to most, and the result that popped up may surprise you…

Not only did he compare in the 99th percentile to T.J. Ward, he also compared in the 99th percentile to Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks.

There’s no telling at this point which Broncos UDFA is going to make the biggest impact and bid for a roster position, but Carter’s athleticism drew the attention of the front office and scouts, to be certain. He was one of the Broncos’ official pre-draft visitors, and they had also spoken with him at the Scouting Combine.

It could wind up being a year or two down the road, but this is a player worth developing and utilizing immediately on special teams. The Broncos can get creative about his defensive usage but it’s unlikely he would play unless there’s a rash of injuries.

If he can make his mark as a special teamer, I think there will be a future for this player as an in-the-box safety.