NFL Draft: Four Team Fits for Florida Gators DL Zachary Carter

Free agency is set to kick off next week, and once the ink dries on contracts for veteran players across the league, teams will turn their attention to the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft.

Several Florida Gators are expected to hear their names called in the selection ceremony and to preview the event, AllGators is breaking down team fits for each UF prospect.

Next, we will take a look at defensive lineman Zachary Carter and his ideal landing spots moving forward in the NFL Draft.

• Cornerback Kaiir Elam

Carter quickly became the team's defensive line leader over the past five years, especially during the final two years of his career. At 6-foot-4, 282 pounds, Carter showcased his versatility - an ability to play both outside and inside on the defensive line.

In all, Carter played in 41 total games at Florida, accounting for 102 total tackles (39 solos), 26 tackles-for-loss and 17 total sacks. He would progress each season while at UF, getting better and better until his peak season in 2021 which saw him accumulate 11.5 TFL, 7.5 sacks and 15 solo tackles - all career highs.

After putting together a solid performance at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine earlier this month, Carter's draft status is now in the hands of NFL teams and how they feel he might fit within their given defense.

Due to his versatility, and how NFL defenses have changed over the years, Carter's chances of being coveted at fairly high, with multiple teams looking for a chess piece.

According to nflmockdraftdatabase.com, Carter's projected draft round is Round 4, which would make sense given his overall play and athletic measurables. However, it would not be surprising to see him boosted into the third-round range when it's all said and done.

Below are three team fits and an honorable mention for Carter's services moving forward.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Pick No. 132)

The Buccaneers have plenty of need at the position and they'd be smart to fill it with their fourth-round selection and acquire the big-time playmaker from Florida in Carter.

The Bucs are likely to lose defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in free agency, but even if they do retain his services, Suh is already 35 years old.

In an effort to get a bit younger and continue utilizing multiple players on its defensive line, Carter makes some sense. He has the versatility to play in defensive coordinator Todd Bowles's front four and has a knack for getting after the passer - something Bowles puts a premium on.

Undergoing a semi-rebuild year - unless the team somehow lands Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson - it makes sense for the team to reload at spots it might otherwise have made whole through free agency or bringing its own players back as they did last season.  

Green Bay Packers (Pick No. 131)

The Packers are in need of help at defensive tackle. Though the group still has Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry and a promising second-year player in former Gators DL TJ Slaton, they don't have much else to offer, especially after releasing Kingsley Keke, while losing Tyler Lancaster in free agency.

In Carter, the team would be able to reunite Carter with his former teammate in Slaton, adding a nice, solid young duo in the middle of the defense. Carter would instantly improve a defensive line that needs to stop the run and get after the passer - something Carter has shown he's plenty capable of doing.

Of course, Green Bay is likely to go to the free agent pool in order to find a couple of depth pieces, but acquiring Carter, especially this late, would be an excellent use of resources and something to build on moving forward.

The team has two fourth-round selections this year, pick No. 131 and pick No. 140. To pick Carter, though, they'd probably be best served by using the higher of the two.

Jacksonville Jaguars (Pick No. 105)

This might be a sweet spot for Carter. Jacksonville holds the first pick in the fourth round this year by virtue of the league's worst record, and it is basically a late third-round pick when it's all said and done. That will likely be Carter's range heading into this year's draft.

For Jacksonville, the team is losing defensive tackle Taven Bryan, a former Florida defender who played with Carter during his redshirt freshman year in 2017. The team needs help inside, especially at three-technique, something Carter has shown the ability to play during his time at Florida.

Right now, Jacksonville doesn't have much depth at the position, and without knowing what defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell's ideal scheme is, the team certainly can use as many versatile pieces as they can get.

Honorable mention: Cleveland Browns (Pick No. 98 overall)

We mocked Carter to the Browns in the third round in our Gators-Centric mock draft, so we'd be remiss if we didn't include them here, too.

Below, is the explanation of his fit in Cleveland:

Several of Cleveland's defensive linemen, including starters Jadeveon Clowney and Malik Jackson, are set to become free agents this month. Cleveland has enough cap space to perhaps bring one starter back, but will need to replenish the unit with young and inexpensive talent.

Zachary Carter would be a good fit within the Browns' defensive front, thanks to his versatility to play on the edge and along the interior. In the Browns' four defensive lineman scheme, Carter could play both strong-side defensive end opposite of Myles Garrett and slide inside to three-technique defensive tackle on passing downs and in blitz packages, as he did at Florida.

Carter had a breakout campaign in 2021, finishing the season with 31 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and two defended passes.

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