Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
There’s much to be said about the Dallas Cowboys transitioning from the 3-4 defense under Rob Ryan, to the Tampa Cover 2 under Monte Kiffin.
One of those things is how much better the Cowboys defensive personnel fits the scheme, particularly linebacker Bruce Carter.
With the 40th pick in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, the Cowboys took a chance on Carter because coming out of college he was recovering from a torn ACL. In 2012, however, the Cowboys got a glimpse of just how dominant of a linebacker Carter could be before an untimely-dislocated elbow ended his sophomore year in the league.
Now in his third year as a pro, Carter is gaining comparisons to Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks, who coincidentally played the same position Carter is being projected to play under Kiffin; the “Will” (weak-side) linebacker.
Obviously, comparing Carter, in his third year, to Brook’s Hall of Fame career is a bit of a stretch, but tell me it doesn’t have you excited about the possibilities? I expect that Carter will use his freakish athleticism to make big plays for the defense because he’s shown that he can run, hit and make plays in the open field and that should translate to success in Kiffin’s system.
Pair him with middle linebacker Sean Lee, who is also being projected as a better fit in the 4-3 defense, and the Cowboys could have one of the most athletic and playmaking linebacker duos in the league. I’d even venture to say that this year they could rival the San Francisco 49ers’ linebacking corps as tops in the league.
Jesus Flores is a Dallas Cowboys writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @SSgtFlo1 or add him to your network on Google
