Buffalo Rumblings
The Bills get much-needed depth on the interior defensive line
One of the Buffalo Bills’ primary needs entering the 2024 NFL Draft was on the defensive line at any spot. The team was in sore need of quality depth and potential impact play. The board didn’t necessarily break tremendous for the team in the first few rounds, but the Bills ended up with a quality rotational defensive tackle in Duke’s DeWayne Carter at pick No. 95 overall.
Carter has played 52 career college games with 39 starts for the Blue Devils. He was known as one of the best in the ACC as a natural disruptor who uses power throughout his lower half and hands. He has a good first step to gain advantage of the opponent across from him. He possesses a relentless motor and plays with great energy. He’s set to be a strong locker room presence for the team in his time with the Bills. Carter tested as a decent athlete for the NFL level.
The downside to Carter is that he’s not as good as you’d like against the run for a player who generates power as he does in his pass rush. There was a drop-off in production posting just one sack in 2023 despite putting up a combined 10 in 2021 and 2022. His motor sometimes puts him out of position and forces him into missed opportunities to make plays that otherwise would be available.
There’s a level of development that needs to occur for Carter to get where you want him to go as a pass rusher with developing his overall move arsenal. You’d also like to see him produce even more as a run defender at the line of scrimmage with more consistency.
Overall, Carter isn’t an exceptional athlete and he doesn’t necessarily have a superpower. But he can be a rotational interior defensive lineman for you off the rip with an ideal move into 3-technique. If he’s able to improve run-game consistency, you may be able to slide him to 1-tech in certain situations as well. Power and decent athleticism are there to for DeWayne Carter to be a quality player in the NFL, but you wonder about what his ceiling is.
