For most, the endless responsibilities and physical toll of being a Division I football player would be difficult to manage. Virginia defensive lineman Jahmeer Carter proves he is not like most, entering his fifth season of college football after quite an eventful offseason.

The UVA defense boasts experience at all three levels. Carter’s maturity and lead-by-example mentality, however, make him stand out from the rest as someone that younger players are looking to for direction. The graduate student got married this offseason along with starting his own business, so he brings a fair share of wisdom to this Cavaliers’ squad.

“When you get a player like Jahmeer back, it’s not just the production on the field,” Virginia defensive tackles coach Kevin Downing said. “I think he’s one of the best interior D-Linemen, but not just that, you get a leader. You want the leader in your room to be a guy that works harder than anybody else and that’s what Jahmeer does.”

The fifth-year player is a product of Archbishop Spalding in Severn, Maryland. Coming out of high school, Carter was a 3-star recruit and ranked the No. 93 defensive tackle in the class of 2020 by 247 Sports. He chose Virginia over a few other schools, including ACC opponent Boston College.

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