Ron'Dell Carter eyeing up first game of his college career

As the 2016 college football season creeps ever so closer, Rutgers redshirt freshman defensive end Ron’Dell Carter is closing in on his first bout of playing time as a Scarlet Knight.

Carter began training camp as the second-string defensive end and talked about the possibility of getting on the field for the first time against Washington on Sept 3rd.

“It’s humbling. I still have to make sure I am doing what I am supposed to at practice. But I am excited and hopefully I get the opportunity to get on the field.”

Carter was hard at work in the offseason as he bumped up to 275 pounds.

“I feel good playing at that weight. KP [strength coach Kenny Parker] got me right. It is definitely different from last year.”

There is also a difference in the way Carter has performed, with an additional 15 pounds.

“My explosiveness has gotten better,” Carter said. “I think me getting off the ball is a lot better. That is with everybody though. We are all working and grinding. But my explosion has definitely improved.”

For Carter, the transition to college life is well in the rear view mirror and he mentioned how he fared in that adjustment.

“My first semester was a little shaky. But I have always been an academic first guy. I have always put the books first. My dad has harped on that since I was in grade school. So that adjustment was not too bad, especially when the spring semester came. I did extremely well. My GPA was a 3.5 in the spring and is probably a 3.0 overall. Of course, you are going to miss your family in that first year a little bit. I missed mine, but I think I adjusted pretty well.”

For more on Carter and some premium insight into the defensive end position, check out the latest Scarlet Slant.