Tariq Carpenter NFL Draft Profile
One of the leaders of the Georgia Tech secondary and the defense as a whole is going to be looking to make his mark next weekend in the NFL Draft. Tariq Carpenter is hoping to be chosen at some point in the draft and will look to make an instant impact wherever he goes.
Despite playing safety for the Yellow Jackets, there are some around the league that think he will make the move to linebacker at the next level. He certainly has the size and physicality to do so at 6'3 230 LBS. The NFL is more demanding of their linebackers in coverage in today's pass-happy league and that could be an impactful move for the former Yellow Jacket.
During his time in Atlanta, Carpenter totaled over 200 plus tackles and had three forced fumbles, four interceptions, and 17 pass deflections. He was a leader in the defense and his impact will be missed.
One of the reasons that Carpenter's name has started picking up more steam ahead of the draft is the way that he tested at his pro day back in March. Carpenter ran a sub 4.50 40-yard dash and had a 39-inch vertical jump and an 11-4 broad jump.
Where is Carpenter projected to go?
More than likely, Carpenter is going to go on day three of the draft. Because he tested well and he plays a premium position, there is always an outside chance that he can go on day two. NFL teams can't have enough guys with the size and ability to cover tight ends and running backs nowadays from the linebacker position. Carpenter would likely start out on special teams and play on passing downs in a team's nickel package.
I think that Carpenter has the athleticism and ability to hang around in the NFL as a nickel linebacker. It will be interesting to see how quickly he can get adopted to the speed of the NFL and make an impact wherever he goes.
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