Tank Carder, Senior, Linebacker, TCU
Overview:
After seeing limited playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2008, linebacker Tank Carder emerged as the leader of one of the nation’s best defenses. As a sophomore Carder stepped right into a starting role and had a superb season. He led the Horned Frogs with 89 tackles and added 10.0 tackles-for-loss. He was even second in the Mountain West Conference with ten pass breakups.
The stifling defense continued in 2010 and once again it was Carder leading the way. With a plethora of talented players leaving the unit, Carder took on a bigger leadership role as an upperclassman. He did not put up great numbers, but once again his versatility and leadership was apparent. Carder still received plenty of national accolades and was a first-team All-MWC honoree and was named to a variety of All-American teams.
Final Projection:
Carder is tough to peg when projecting to the NFL. He has spent most of his time at TCU in the middle of the defense. However, he could move to the outside at the next level due to his speed and pass rushing ability. Yet, he also fits pretty well in the middle since he is a very instinctual player who can sit back, read the defense and attack the ball.
1/5/12 Update:
Besides his knack for returning interceptions for touchdowns, Carder did not have a great senior year. He was still the leader of one of the best defenses in the nation, but the talent around him was better and he did not have to put up huge numbers. That will not change his draft status though. He is still a ball hawk who can simply make plays. Where he plays at the next level is still the biggest question and that will have to be answered before he can start thinking about cracking the top two rounds of the 2012 NFL Draft.
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