Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: DeAndre Carter, WR, Sacramento State University

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What is your name?

DeAndre Carter

Where do you play college football?

 Sacramento State University

 How many teams were recruiting you out of high school?

 5-6

 How did you choose your school?

 Sat down with my family and talked through the different scenarios. Sac St gave me an opportunity and we felt that it was great fit for me.

 Where are you from?

 San Jose, California

 Who is your role model, and why?

 Eddie Smith. He’s my high school coach, trainer, and more like an older brother to me. He taught and showed me the importance of never letting another man out work you, in football and in life.

 Have any scouts met with you yet, and if so what are they saying?

Scouts have been coming to my school and watch practice and film regularly since fall camp. From what my coaches tell me the scouts like me and look forward to seeing me through the pre-draft process.

 Did you play any other sports growing up?

 I played basketball and baseball growing up in addition to football.

 Did you play any other positions in football?

In college I’ve played KR, PR, and RB. In high school I played a little bit of everything QB, CB, and FS in addition to WR, RB, KR and PR.

At your position, what separates you from others?

My ability to read defenses and coverage’s and knowing how to adjust my routes and get open based on what I see. I’d also have to say the combination of my route running, quickness, speed, and catching ability along with my knowledge of the game is what has allowed to have success throughout my career at Sac.

 When you are breaking down film, what do you look for?

When breaking down film for an opponent first I look for tendencies in coverage based on down and distance, formation, and personnel. Then I look at what techniques the defensive back or linebackers use while covering receivers when they’re playing press or off coverage and man or zone coverage.

 Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

My true freshman year at Sac I played against Trumaine Johnson of the St. Louis Rams when he was at Montana.

 If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be and why?

Steve Smith of the Baltimore Ravens. We have similar body builds and we both play with a chip on our soldier. He also has a tremendous amount of playmaking ability which is an attribute I posses.

 What was the biggest obstacle in your life you had to overcome, and how did you overcome it?

In August of 2013, before my junior season at Sac, my younger brother Kaylan Carter passed away from heart complications at the age of 17. Growing up I’ve been through quite a bit of obstacles in my personal life but that was by far the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through. The only way I got through it was by playing football and going to work on a daily basis with my teammates. I promised him we were going to make it by any means necessary and that promise pushes me everyday of my life.

 Do you have any pre-game rituals?

I pray in the end zone before the start of every half.

 What is your biggest strength?

 My knowledge of the game, athleticism, and catching ability.

 What is your biggest weakness?

 The one thing I can’t control and has made me play with a chip on my shoulder, my height.

 If I were a GM and gave you a second to sell yourself, what would you say?

No man will ever out work me and that work ethic is what’s going to put me in position to make plays and be successful in your organization for years to come.

 Who was your favorite player and NFL team growing up?

Favorite player is a toss up between Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders. My favorite team growing up was the San Francisco 49ers.

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would you choose?

My brother Kaylan, Deion Sanders, Jerry Rice