For Devin Carter, transferring to WVU is going to hopefully improve his draft stock. But his leadership off the field could help the Mountaineers equally as much.
Devin Carter has been playing college football since 2018. Entering year six, he said last year is when he felt like the old guy.
“I would say I became a leader in that room (NC State) probably in 2021. I felt myself become the old guy last year,” Carter said.
Carter spent all five of those years at NC State. Following the 2022 season he had a decision to make of whether to try the professional route or come back for one more year of college football.
“I thought about declaring after last season at NC State and felt like I could make a better mark on the college role,” Carter said. “I felt like I could help myself by transferring and coming to another school.”
One of the reasons Carter chose West Virginia as his transfer landing spot was due to the majority of WVU’s receiving room from last year either transferring or moving on.
“Their whole receiver room kind of left so it felt like this was kind of the best option for me,” Carter explained.
One of the pieces Carter is going to try to replace is Bryce Ford-Wheaton. Ford-Wheaton was WVU’s top receiver a season ago and Carter hopes to have that same level of production. However, it was Ford-Wheaton’s advice to Carter prior to him selecting West Virginia which helped Carter.
“Kind of just asking him stuff about the strength and conditioning program, about the coaches, about how it is in West Virginia period,” Carter said of his conversations with Ford-Wheaton. “He kind of helped me out and gave me a good perspective of what I would be dealing with if I came here. We’re kind of roughly from around the same area so if he can do it, it shouldn’t really be a problem for me.”
As for how he is on the field, Carter’s frame and speed should help him be a legitimate threat on the outside for the Mountaineers this season.
“I feel like I’m a big, physical receiver. I can move better than a lot of people think I can and deep threat,” Carter said. “When you get the ball in your hands, you just know what you can do with it.”
Off the field though, Carter is able to help guide a relatively young receiver room. Carter said his personalty lends to being a leader.
“I kind of feel like that was a role I was going to take on or try to take on wherever I went,” Carter said. “Try to be a leader in the room because that’s just my personality.”
Carter is heading into week one as a well defined threat on the outside, but it’s how he can help bring up everyone else at his position which could define the success level of West Virginia’s offense in 2023.
