NFL Supplemental Draft 2018 Scouting Report: RB Martayveus ‘Marty’ Carter, Grand Valley State

*Our RB grades can and will change as more information comes in from Pro Day workouts, leaked Wonderlic test results, etc. We will update ratings as new info becomes available.

*We use the term “Power RB” to separate physically bigger, more between-the-tackles–capable RBs from our “speed RBs” group. “Speed RBs” are physically smaller, but much faster/quicker, and less likely to flourish between the tackles.

Whenever players declare for the NFL’s supplemental draft there’s an odd mixture of intrigue and dismissal with the prospect. They almost always seem to have a negative thing propelling their decision – almost always either a drug-based suspension for the season/kicked out of school OR academically ineligible. The off-field story is the lead punch of anyone taking these supplemental guys seriously for this special draft…but there is that ‘intrigue’ – is there another Josh Gordon hiding among the ruins?

Marty Carter is a late declaration to the 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft…so very late that he will not likely work out for teams at a Pro Day ahead of the draft. He’s been ruled ineligible to play in 2018 due to academic issues. He has little choice but to make a run at the NFL.

The RB prospects that have declared for the supplemental draft in recent years have been pretty weak. None worthy of drafting. Most barely worth a camp tryout. None going on to make any noise in the NFL. Marty Carter has a chance to change that narrative. He’s no ordinary supplemental draft RB – he’s going to be one of the better ones to declare…a 2016 D2 Offensive Player of the Year -- 1,908 yards rushing and 20 TDs in 2016.

I saw Carter declare for the supplemental draft, and started the note taking process for this scouting report and when I saw the 2016 season, my attention perked up. I was cautious because ‘D2’, and we have to keep that in mind. However, when I put on the tape…I was like ‘wow’!

I would not put Carter in the ‘superstar’ prospect category, but NFL-worthy and intriguing…a possible NFL starter talent? Could be.

Watching him on tape is a joy. He just blazes past would-be tacklers like they’re standing still. I know this is D2, but I watch enough tape to know when a guy has a little ‘it’ factor. Carter has some nice wheels. What’s even better is his shifty feet – he has as graceful a pair of feet as any RB prospect in this draft. He can cut, jump cut, dodge/dart as well as any RB prospect in 2018. Combine all that with terrific vision and patience looking for his running lane – and you have a guy that averaged over 100+ yards rushing and a rushing TD per game over his three-season career…and from overuse. Just 13.5 carries per game his final season.

He didn’t get much work in the passing game, but it doesn’t appear that is because he has bad hands. Watching him catch the ball in limited views on tape – I thought he had good/solid hands in the passing game. They just didn’t throw the ball to him that much.

Carter is built/has an NFL body – a sturdy frame, and muscular.

When I watched Carter’s tape, all I could think of is a smaller Tevin Coleman. Fantastic acceleration, patient, quick feet…but Carter has quicker, more agile/nimble feet.

I think there’s something to work with here for the NFL. He has a lot of hurdles to overcome – D2, UDFA, academic issues. He’s going to be a warm body in camp to start and he better impress fast or he’ll get lost in the NFL shuffle.

His coaches vouch for him. He seems likeable enough. He has NFL RB skills. He likely won’t get drafted, but I think Marty Carter has a chance to make an NFL team and someday be a part of an RBBC down the road.

Marty Carter, Through the Lens of Our RB Scouting Algorithm:

513 career carries…7.3 yards per carry – that’s pretty strong ypc, even at the D2 level. 

37 TDs in 36 career games.

5-of-6 passing with 3 TD passes and no picks in his college career.

Projected Measurables…

5’9-10”/200-205

4.45-4.50 40-time, 6.70-80 three cone, 4.10 shuttle

15-20 bench press, 35” vertical

The Historical RB Prospects to Whom Marty Carter Most Compares Within Our System:

Tevin Coleman popping up as a comp does not surprise, but when I saw Felix Jones on the list, I thought it an even better comparison. Similar styles and abilities. However, Jones performed well on the big stage in the SEC and Carter only has D2 results to work with.

Flying a little blind on Carter’s grading because we don’t have real speed, etc., times to work with. This was based on estimates we used and we were more conservative with them.

*A score of 8.50+ is where we see a stronger correlation of RBs going on to become NFL good/great/elite. A score of 10.00+ is more rarefied air in our system and indicates a greater probability of becoming an elite NFL RB.

All of the RB ratings are based on a 0–10 scale, but a player can score negative, or above a 10.0 in certain instances.

Overall rating/score = A combination of several on-field performance measures, including refinement for the strength of opponents faced, mixed with all the physical measurement metrics – then compared/rated historically within our database and formulas. More of a traditional three-down search – runner, blocker, and receiver.

*RB-Re score = New/testing in 2018. Our new formula/rating that attempts to identify and quantify a prospect's receiving skills even deeper than in our original formulas. RB prospects can now make it/thrive in the NFL strictly based on their receiving skills – it is an individual attribute sought out for the NFL and no longer dismissed or overlooked. Our rating combines a study of their receiving numbers in college in relation to their offense and opponents, as well as profiling size-speed-agility along with hand size measurables, etc.

*RB-Ru score = New/testing in 2018. Our new formula/rating that attempts to classify and quantify an RB prospect's ability strictly as a runner of the ball. Our rating combines a study of their rushing numbers in college in relation to their offense and strength of opponents, as well as profiling size-speed-agility along with various size measurables, etc.

Raw Speed Metric = A combination of several speed and size measurements from the NFL Combine, judged along with physical size profile, and then compared/rated historically within our database and scouting formulas. This is a rating strictly for RBs of a similar/bigger size profile.

Agility Metric = A combination of several speed and agility measurements from the NFL Combine, judged along with physical size profile, and then compared/rated historically within our database and scouting formulas. This is a rating strictly for RBs of a similar/bigger size profile.

2018 NFL Draft Outlook:

Carter probably would not have gotten drafted in the regular NFL Draft, and I don’t believe he’ll be taken in the supplemental draft either…too much baggage, too many questions and RB valuations are low.

If I were an NFL GM, I’d have to pass on drafting him too, but I’d be calling him ahead of time to set him up as a UDFA signee to take a look to see if this is a D2 hoax…or if he’s even better than expected, because we keep discounting his work due to the D2 nature of things.

NFL Outlook:   

I think Carter has NFL starter abilities. Not an obvious workhorse RB, but someone who can be a part of a rotation or be a nice backup. I see a little something here, but I want to know/see more to be sure. There’s enough smoke here to see whether there’s a real fire.

The talent is there but we don’t fully know how hard-working and dedicated he is, given the circumstances that led him to the supplemental draft. If you flop, educationally, at the D2 level…you’re just not going to class, which is irresponsible, or you’re just not that swift…and that’s not good either. 

7/1/2018