UF redshirt senior defensive lineman Zachary Carter has declared for the NFL Draft and will not play in the Gasparilla Bowl against UCF on Dec. 23, he announced via a farewell message posted on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/Zachattacks_/status/1469391319130906632?s=20
After bouncing back and forth between strongside end and defensive tackle over the past couple of years, Carter settled in at strongside end in 2021 and flourished. He started every game and led the team with eight sacks and 11 tackles-for-loss. He also forced a fumble and broke up two passes.
He made a career-high three sacks in the opener against Florida Atlantic and totaled 5 1/2 sacks in the first five games, which made him a focal point of opponents’ scouting reports for the rest of the season. He was named SEC co-Defensive Lineman of the Week following his performance against Florida Atlantic.
Carter also led the Gators with five sacks and 9 1/2 tackles-for-loss in 2020, and he also returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week recognition after he made eight tackles and 1 1/2 sacks against South Carolina in week two.
He appeared in all 13 games in 2019 and finished tied for second on the team with 4 1/2 sacks and seven tackles-for-loss.
He played in nine games as a redshirt freshman in 2018 and blocked a field goal in his collegiate debut against Charleston Southern.
Carter’s combination of size (6-foot-4, 285 pounds), strength and quickness should make him an intriguing prospect in the eyes of NFL front office personnel.