Note: The following appears in The Citadel football gameday program.
“One of the best pure football players I’ve had in 20 years.” That is what Head Coach Dabo Swinney had to say about Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter. A 2023 All-ACC selection and 2024 Butkus Award semifinalist, Carter has put together quite the career as a Tiger. He has been a force on Clemson’s elite defenses for four seasons, as he returned to Tigertown for his senior campaign to complete his legacy.
As great of a linebacker Carter is, being in the middle of the defense was not always his vision.
The Suwanee, Ga. native is grateful for the place that helped shape him into the man he is today. He initially played running back and wide receiver, with linebacker being his secondary position, at North Gwinnett High School. He had always envisioned himself becoming a professional running back, but during the spring after his freshman season, his head coach moved him to linebacker after a spot opened up.
“I was devastated. I wanted to quit football. It was truly such a sad day. I thought I was going to grow up and be a professional running back. But the next day, I received my first scholarship offer for linebacker, and the rest was history.”
After transitioning to linebacker, Carter developed into an elite prospect, with offers from top universities. He credited his family for helping him grow and always supporting him along his football journey, adding that they are his “why” for his relentless effort. With all these top programs battling for Carter’s services, he ultimately chose to enroll at Clemson.
“I’m big on genuine relationships, and that’s what I felt at Clemson. Every other school talked a lot about football and not as much about who you are as a man and person off the field. Being able to balance both sides was what Clemson showed me, and that’s what I was looking for in a school.”
Carter’s career took off at Clemson. A big reason why is because of his dedication to the film room and preparation throughout the week. The 2024 midseason All-American believes the game is won in practice from Monday to Friday, which allows him to play free during the games on Saturday. This mentality had a big impact on his production, and after his junior season, he was steadily climbing NFL draft boards as a top prospect. Carter had a big decision to make…enter the NFL draft or return to Clemson for one last season.
“I’d be lying if I said it was an easy decision….