Army linebacker Andre Carter II and other pro prospects at service academies are on the verge of being eligible for the NFL draft.
Players at Army, Navy and Air Force would be clear to enter the 2023 NFL Draft under the provision to a recently passed congressional bill filed Tuesday. The provision affords deferred service for players pursuing professional sports opportunities.
The 6-foot-7, 260-pound Carter had 15.5 sacks last season and three in 2022. He is the son of former No. 7 overall pick Andre Carter, who attended Cal and played defensive end in the NFL for 13 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (2001-05), Washington Commanders (2006-10), New England Patriots (2011, 2013), then-Oakland Raiders (2012) before shifting to a coaching career in 2015.
Carter II is considered a first-round pick, rated in the top 32 by The Athletic and No. 22 overall by ESPN in the ’23 draft class still taking shape nearly one month before the underclassman deadline to enter.
However, the provision is temporary, according to the language of the bill published on the Senate Appropriations Committee site Tuesday that says the modified bill “shall only apply with respect to a cadet or midshipman who first enrolls in the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, or the United States Air Force Academy on or after June 1, 2021.”
Carter II said he considered transferring before the 2022 season, but opted not to leave based in part on the Army and service academy policy permitting players to enter the NFL draft and defer service to post-career. The December passage of the original version of the bill would have eliminated Carter’s chance to enter the draft despite having a chance to be the first cadet drafted in the top 50 in more than 75 years. The modified version could reach the desk of President Joe Biden this week, CNN reported.
“We are grateful for the support, time and energy of the United States Military Academy leadership, the Long Gray Line, and so many others throughout the country who offered their expertise and influence to quickly reach a resolution,” Carter’s parents, Andre and Melissa, told ESPN.