Shyheim Carter has always been versatile. Between playing on both sides of the football in high school and playing every position in the secondary for Alabama, Carter has excelled thanks to his football I.Q. and his all-around play.
And yet, he wasn’t viewed as a surefire NFL prospect. Not having a pro day certainly hurt Carter, but he signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent. The hope now is that Gregg Williams can make something out of the adaptable Carter.
Let’s get to know Carter a bit better with some things to know about the undrafted free agent out of Alabama.
Spurning LSU for Alabama
Shyheim Carter became an Alabama fan-favorite before ever stepping on the field for the Crimson Tide.
Adding fuel to an already intense college football rivalry, Carter made headlines during the recruiting process, saying that he did not like his home state team, LSU. He never gave the school any thought and they weren’t even in his final three.
“I just don’t like ’em,” Carter told SEC Country’s Alex Martin Smith when asked about LSU. “There’s something about ‘em I just don’t like. I mean, LSU’s a great school, phenomenal school, but it’s just something personal I don’t like about ‘em.”
Versatility
Shyheim Carter played every position in the secondary for Alabama.
He’s comfortable playing safety, nickel or outside cornerback. In 2019, Carter played 559 saps manning the slot compared to only five on the outside, according to Pro Football Focus.
“I think Shyheim Carter would fit in probably one of the top two or three players on the team from a knowledge standpoint,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban told The Athletic’s, Aaron Suttles. “He can answer every question in a meeting about every position. He would be a great, great coach. I think that’s what creates a lot of diversity for him as a player, to be able to play multiple positions because he’s very smart and it means something to him. He’s spent a lot of time trying to learn this stuff. He prepares well for the games. I can’t say that one position is more natural for him than the other because he’s always done a pretty good job wherever we’ve decided to put him in.”
What he brings to the table
Although Shyheim Carter made 22 starts as the nickel corner over the course of his Alabama career, he is best suited to play safety at the next level.
Carter does not feature the requisite athleticism, speed or instincts to play the cornerback position in the NFL. He has the football acumen to serve as a depth or rotational player at the next level. Otherwise, his best way of seeing the field is on special teams.
High School Quarterback
Shyheim Carter was a force on both sides of the football in high school, playing both cornerback and quarterback at Kentwood High in Louisiana.
Carter was named the Class 1A Offensive MVP in 2014 and 2015. As a senior, he threw for 2,443 yards while rushing for 1,648 yards and scoring 30 total touchdowns. At cornerback, Carter recorded 57 tackles and five interceptions.
Although he made his name on offense, Carter wound up being ranked as a top-10 cornerback nationally.
