I know there was mention of this in an earlier article, but this is intriguing to me to say the least. We've never had anything resembling a 6'4" 287 pound defensive end. As the piece says, he doesn't have the "burst" you'd like to see, but has great technique. But, the thought of being able to put another huge guy out there against teams that pound the ball at you sounds damn skippy to me. I wonder if in the off season, they might try to get him down in the 270-275 range and improve his quickness. Anywhuuu...
copyDEpasta al.kum BTW...Joel Erickson seems to be one of the few contributors to al.com that sticks to the meat and potatoes when reporting on Auburn. His articles normally focus strictly on personnel and what's actually going on.
At first glance, Kenneth Carter seems like an unlikely solution to Auburn's depth problems at defensive end.
Carter has spent his whole career with the Tigers at tackle, a 287-pounder with 2.5 career tackles-for-loss and no sacks. Two-thirds of the way through spring practice, though, Carter's move to the outside has placed him squarely in a battle for playing time that includes experienced ends Dee Ford and Nosa Eguae, and Carter has been able to hold his own.
"I don’t know that he’s a natural end, but he’s played extremely well for his first time moving out there," Tigers defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson said. "At this point in time, he’s holding down the No. 1 spot at the right end." Carter was pressed into duty on the outside after Keymiya Harrell suffered a right leg injury that left Harrell on crutches and aiming for a fall return.
Facing a logjam at defensive tackle that includes Angelo Blackson, Gabe Wright, Jeff Whitaker, Ben Bradley, a few other faces and Montravius Adams arriving in the fall, Carter moved out to the edge to shore up depth. Turns out Carter's been itching for a chance to show what he can do on the outside.
"It’s not really that tough because of the fact that I actually got to play end in high school," Carter said. "In college, everyone has their dream as a d-tackle of moving out to the d-end and being in more space, being able to rush the passer." What made the move curious is that Johnson likes his defensive ends to be fast-twitch, explosive players with speed off the edge.
At 6-foot-4, 287 pounds, that kind of burst is not Carter's strong suit. "That’s not his forte, but he’s decent," Johnson said. "He’s shown some pretty good technique as an outside pass rusher."
On the other hand, Carter brings a powerful presence to the right defensive end spot that Johnson always had at South Carolina, first with Melvin Ingram and then with Devin Taylor, a pair of bigger bodies who played with good technique off the edge. Carter's experience at defensive tackle, plus the added size, offers him an advantage in the race for playing time.
"I’ll be more of a power," Carter said. "Power attack."
Carter's status as the first man up on the right side is not set in stone. Ford's on the left, and Carter still has to fight off challenges from both Eguae and Justin Delaine, a pair of natural ends, and a pair of highly-touted freshmen in Carl Lawson and Elijah Daniel arrive in the summer.
For the moment, though, Carter has done enough to run with the No. 1 defensive unit on the outside. Even after three years at tackle, the outside can still feel like home.
"Being on the inside at defensive tackle, you’ve got to hold on and power scoops more, on your gap a little more," Carter said. "Being at the end, your transition to pass rush is easier, just being out in space and stuff."
So far, the move is working.
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