Michigan State's Nate Carter Signed as UDFA

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Apr 26, 2025 9:11 PM ET

Another Michigan State Spartan will get his shot at making an NFL roster.

Michigan State football announced on Saturday that former Spartan running back Nate Carter has signed with the Atlanta Falcons.

Carter played two seasons at Michigan State, where he totaled 499 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, 173 receiving yards and two receiving yards in 12 games in his final season with the program. His first season at Michigan State was much more productive, as he posted 798 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns and 103 receiving yards in 12 games.

Carter had himself an impressive Pro Day showing last month, recording a 40-inch vertical, which was the second-highest when compared to running backs who participated in the NFL Combine, and 23 bench press reps, which tied the highest mark among running backs at the combine. He also recorded a 10-foot-8-inch broad jump.

"To God be the glory," Carter said after his showing. "It was amazing to just be able to come out here and to see my teammates, see family and friends cheering, and I think everyone that performed today did an amazing job.

"We put the work in for three months for this one day. We knew the opportunity was going to be ahead of us, and I believe we all did our jobs to show out. It’s a blessing to see Spartan Nation be around us as we were doing that.”

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein has projected Carter to be a "priority free agent."

"Carter is a well-built secondary back with an explosive athletic profile, but he doesn’t pop on tape enough," Zierlein wrote in his evaluation of Carter. "He’s not a naturally instinctive or creative runner, so he tends to lag behind with his reads, which allows defenses to quickly close on him.

"He’s more powerful into contact than his weight might indicate and he can be tougher to bring down. Carter’s lack of third-down value could make it very difficult for him to find a home in an NFL backfield, even with his impressive athletic testing."

Carter hails from Rochester, New York. He spent three seasons at UConn before transferring to Michigan State.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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