Undrafted Rookie Making Strong Case for Atlanta Falcons Roster Spot

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Atlanta Falcons running back Nathan Carter is now just two weeks removed from one of the scariest moments of his football career. The rookie running back was involved in a collision with Detroit Lions’ defensive back Morice Norris that brought the matchup to a screeching halt.

The Lions’ safety was down on the turf of Mercedes-Benz Stadium for nearly 20 tense minutes while trainers tended to him. Norris was eventually transported to a local hospital, where he was treated, but the teams mutually agreed to end the contest right there.

Carter was able to get in touch with Norris over Instagram, and they were able to “chat a little bit.” He said after the game that there was little to no reluctance to go out there and play, despite the way their first game ended.

“I really felt at peace,” he said, crediting his conversation with Norris and his faith. “I think the biggest thing was knowing that he was alright and was doing good.”

Knowing that Norris was showing signs of improvement off the field helped him make an impression on it. The undrafted rookie is continuing to audition for the final roster, and he was able to take advantage of his time last Friday.

Carter finished his day against the Titans with 63 yards on nine carries, including a blistering 43-yard touchdown run and another 30-yard scamper that was called back after a (questionable) penalty.

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“It's huge. Not just for me, but really for the entire running back room for us to be able to put stuff like that on tape,” he said after the game. “We all work extremely hard to be able to work and get better every single day.”

Despite not hearing his name called during the draft, the former Michigan State Spartan still offered enough to get invited to camp – a 40-inch vertical, a 10’8” broad jump, but mostly it was his blistering 4.40 40-yard sprint. He was one of 11 undrafted players to sign with the team, but despite his numbers, Carter was not met with the same fanfare as others.

Fast forward to today, and Carter appears to be the only one of those players who is on pace to make the final 53-man roster.

“He plays with a fierce running style [and] he's hard to get down to the ground,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris lauded after the game. “He’s one of those young players that's just fighting for a spot on this roster and he shows up every single week and shows why he should be on it.”

The Falcons have a pair of stalwarts holding down their running back room in Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, but their third spot was also effectively locked down by incumbent Carlos Washington Jr. The third-year back, who appeared in one game in 2024 after spending the 2023 season on the practice squad, has struggled to return from what Raheem Morris called a “hamstring issue.”

Washington has now been missing from camp for several weeks, and Carter has taken advantage of the opportunity and caught the eye of the staff in the process.

“Nate's another guy that stepped up for a rookie coming in,” Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said. “He's done an unbelievable job in pass pro, which, as a rookie back, is usually the biggest challenge.”

Combine his athletic physical traits and a further-along than expected mental aptitude for the position, and Carter feels like a player who makes a lot of sense for the final roster. The 23-year-old will continue battling it out with Washington, Elijah Dotson, and Jashaun Corbin for the third spot, and they will get one more opportunity to shine on Friday in Dallas at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Roster cuts will be made official on Tuesday at 4:00 E.T., but the rookie may have already cemented his place with the veterans.