Texas A&M's outstanding 2019 class added another huge piece Sunday in CB Jeffery Carter, the No. 45 overall prospect in the ESPN 300. Read below to see how one of the nation's most explosive talents can make his mark in College Station:
What he brings: Carter is an outstanding athlete who could excel on either side of the ball but projects with impact potential to the secondary. Needs to continue to fill out his frame, but he possesses nice length, is a fluid athlete with excellent top-end speed and can be a versatile defender. He is a confident player with speed to run with receivers and also displays good instincts and an explosive burst to close on receivers. He flashes good ball skills to be able to finish plays when the opportunity is there. Carter's speed and athleticism are his strongest traits, but the top-five CB can also be physical and is an effective tackler.
How he fits: This is a key in-state pickup for the Aggies. Corner is a premium position, and Carter is a prospect with excellent physical tools to develop into an key contributor to the defense. He can benefit from some additional physical development in terms of mass, but he is a player with good functional strength and is athletic enough while also displaying the confidence to come in and be a quick contributor once stepping on campus. As he continues to gain experience, he can grow into a shutdown, big-play defender.
Reminds us of: Carter very much reminds us of former Ohio State standout defender Marshon Lattimore. Like the former Buckeye, who was also a top-five prospect at his position in the 2014 class, Carter is a corner with an excellent blend of outstanding athleticism, explosiveness and instincts.
How the class is shaping up: The Aggies were able to close well and finish with a top-20 2018 class under new coach Jimbo Fisher, but now with a full year to recruit, the expectations for the new staff are high, and thus far they are meeting those expectations. Texas A&M sits firmly at No. 2 in the class rankings, capitalizing on in-state talent with all their ESPN 300s from within the Lone Star State. The line of scrimmage will be a focus, and the Aggies already have landed several commits in that group, including ESPN 300 edge-defender Braedon Mowry, ESPN 300 DT DeMarvin Leal and ESPN 300 tackle Joshua Ellison. But it's five-star offensive tackle Kenyon Green who is the biggest win in the trenches. Joining Green in the offensive line haul are three-star tackle Blake Trainor and three-star Sunshine State guard Adrian Medley. In the secondary, the Aggies have a pair of ESPN 300 safeties in Demani Richardson and Brian Williams, and four-star cornerbacks Erick Young, Bobby Wolfe and top-five CB Carter. They have added some receiving targets, including Kameron Brown -- the son for former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown -- and four-star Kenyon Jackson out of Georgia. Bolstering the formerly underutilized TE position is a key, and the Aggies have addressed that nicely with Baylor Cupp, who offers a nice blend of size and speed and can be a physical blocker. The quarterback in the class, four-star Zach Calzada out of Georgia, has as much upside as any prospect in the Aggies' group.