Why did Andre Carter II go to Army? How Black Knights defender took service academy route to NFL draft

The 2023 NFL Draft could be a historic one for Army football, thanks to Andre Carter II.

When the Black Knights defender hears his name called in April — whether it be on Day 1 or 2 — he will become the program's highest-drafted player in several generations. That's not hyperbole: West Point has not produced a first-round pick in the NFL draft since Glenn Davis and Tex Coulter went second and seventh overall, respectively, in the 1947 NFL Draft.

Indeed, Army has had only two players drafted in the post-merger era, both in the seventh and final round: Ronnie McAda in 1997 and Caleb Campbell in 2008. That Carter could become one of the highest-drafted Black Knights ever says a lot about his physical traits and football acumen.

It also raises the question as to why he chose to play at Army in the first place. Here's everything you need to know about Carter's decision to attend West Point, and how he proved himself an NFL-caliber player there.

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Why did Andre Carter II go to Army?

Carter, whose 6-7, 260-pound frame and college production has helped make him one of the most sought-after EDGE defenders in the 2023 NFL Draft class, said his decision to attend Army was two-fold:

"I know people wonder how I ended up here, at Army," Carter told ESPN in an article that originally published in October. "It was a two-part decision. I knew that this place, just being here, is an honor."

Serving my country is an honor, and I look forward to serving my country for a long time. But I also knew that you could go to the NFL from here.

That last point is technically true, as Carter himself will hear his name called in April's draft. However, his path to the NFL is a far cry from the handful of Black Knights who currently play in the league. None was selected in the NFL draft.

Carter did not receive significant attention out of high school, however. Part of that is he needed to put on weight at his first high school in California. Following a transfer to his hometown of Houston — where he played at two separate high schools — Carter sat behind tight end Mustapha Muhammad, a four-star tight end.

Carter transferred to Westbury Christian High School in Houston, where upon graduation in 2019 ESPN reports he had "only a couple of nibbles from FCS and Division II schools." His mother, Melissa Carter, had him transfer to Cheshire Academy (Conn.) for a fifth year of high school. There, former coach Dave Dykeman (now the XFL's director of special football projects) told Carter he would move to defense.

The transition proved seamless for Carter — so much so that Dykeman thought to call longtime Army assistant coach John Loose to let him know about Carter, who eventually became a part of the Black Cadets' 2019 recruiting class.

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Andre Carter II recruit ranking

Carter was not highly sought out of high school, only earning attention as a potential Division I prospect after graduating. (Indeed, his 247Sports profile lists his high school as Westbury Christian High School in Houston).

Carter's recruiting profile mirrors the attention he received out of high school: He was not nationally ranked, either by 247 or its Composite rankings. He also does not have a star rating.

Andre Carter II Army stats

Carter made the entirety of his case to make the NFL while at Army. After not playing any varsity action in 2019 as a freshman, Carter played 10 games as a sophomore in 2020, accumulating 14 tackles, one interception, one sack and one forced fumble.

It wasn't until 2021 that Carter became a bona fide draft prospect, bursting onto the scene with 44 total tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks — trailing only Alabama's Will Anderson Jr. in that metric — one interception, three passes defensed, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one blocked field goal. He didn't have quite the same statistical output in 2022 amid a 6-6 season that saw the Black Knights miss a bowl game: just 41 tackles (seven for loss), 3.5 sacks, two passes defensed and one quarterback hit.

With that, Carter finished his football career at Army with 99 total tackles (25.5 for loss), 20 sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defensed, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two blocked kicks.

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Andre Carter II mock draft

As it stands now, Carter is not only graded as a second-round player by The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer, but also is mocked to be taken 57th overall by the Jaguars.

Per Iyer:

"Should the Jaguars try to move Josh Allen in a trade, they would need some edge-rushing help for 2022 No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker. Carter is a productive sack artist with some freakish qualities."

Carter garnered similar descriptions in TSN's top 125 big board:

"Carter has developed into a fine pass rusher with his freakish athletic frame with relentlessness and smarts that give him a high ceiling."

Army players selected in NFL draft

Below is a list of Army players selected in the NFL Draft, with accompanying rounds, selections and draft years: