Is Jahmeer Carter Ready For A Big Leap At Nose Tackle?

Virginia opens against William & Mary.
Jahmeer Carter carved out a role as a true freshman at Virginia. ~ Photo courtesy Virginia Athletics

Among the positions considered more glamorous on a football team – quarterback, receiver, linebacker, or what have you – it’s rare that the nose tackle spends much time in the spotlight. Even so, in Bronco Mendenhall’s tenure to date some of the more recognizable names on the team have played in that spot. Donte Wilkins, who is back as a graduate assistant, and Eli Hanback put together strong careers up front, while Jowon Briggs was on his way there at Virginia before transferring out to Cincinnati late last season.

If there’s a reason UVA fans know those names well, it’s because of the importance of the nose tackle in Virginia’s schemes and in praise the coaches, Mendenhall on down, put on players that performed well in that role. If the middle man in the 3-4 is so important, that’s a good topic for the next article in the “50 Thoughts Before Virginia Football Kickoff” series – Is Jahmeer Carter Ready For A Big Leap At Nose Tackle?

Make no mistake, the nose tackles that have patrolled those ‘A’ gaps up front between the center and guards have been an important story in the program rebuild to date. The praise delivered by Mendenhall and company on them is evident in the Pro Football Focus (PFF) data too. Wilkins played 510 snaps in the ‘A’ gaps in 2016 and received the second highest defensive grade on the team with a 76.7. No other player picked up even 50 snaps lined up in the ‘A’ gaps that first year as five other players combined for 141 snaps to spell Wilkins.

The 2017 season began the Hanback era in the middle. He played 521 ‘A’ gap snaps that season and five other players provided 77 snaps. Hanback nailed down a 77.4 defensive grade in the PFF data, good enough for fourth on the team that season. In 2018, Hanback posted 278 snaps in the ‘A’ gaps and Jordan Redmond added 164 more. Remember, that season was the one where the D-Line suffered a lot of injuries and the coaches went to frequent two-man fronts in response. Hanback rated well again with a 69.7 defensive grade that ranked ninth on the team.

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