One of the top defensive linemen in the country made his long-awaited college decision on National Signing Day, as Lorenzo Carter has pledged to Georgia over Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, and others.
5-star Lorenzo Carter commits to Georgia on National Signing Day
The Dawgs landed one of the best defensive linemen in the nation on National Signing Day.
USA TODAY Sports
More from our team sites
More from our team sites
Carter is considered a five-star recruit by 247sports, ESPN and Scout (who ranks him as the top defensive end in the 2014 class), while Rivals rates him as a four-star. The 247sports composite, which aggregates the ratings of all four major recruiting services, ranks Carter as a five-star. The composite rates him as the 18th-best player in the country, the second-best weak-side defensive end and the top player in the state of Georgia.
His choice caps a strong Wednesday for UGA, which also added four-star receiver Isaiah McKenzie and three-star tight end Hunter Atkinson to what should be a top-10 final class.
Listed at 6’5 and 232 pounds, Carter attended Norcross (Ga.) High School. He received offers from many of the elite programs in the country, also including Alabama and Notre Dame, among others.
SB Nation’s Bud Elliott scouted Carter:
Carter is a special prospect. He has the ability to play defensive end, with a frame that can eventually hold 250 or 260 pounds. But he also has the athleticism to play rush linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.
Carter’s greatest asset is his pass rushing. He gets off the ball and converts speed to power well, can bend under the reach of the offensive tackle, and finishes, which is an important attribute in a pass rusher.
Carter also has excellent length, and in time with college coaching, could use them as an excellent weapon in his arsenal against the pass and the run. Carter does a pretty good job against the run given his frame, and is better at controlling opposing blockers than the typical long, thinner defensive end type prospect. Once he fills out, he could be a plus run defender in college.
I wish Carter had more film of him dropping into coverage and defending the pass. If he did, I wouldn’t have to guess at his ability to transition to outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.
Carter is one of the best players in the country and his various high ratings are well deserved. He should be a multi-year starter at the BCS level.
