Caelen Carson, CB Wake Forest: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Carson was a three-star recruit from North Point High School in Waldorf, Md. in the class of 2020

Wake Forest cornerback Caelen Carson has the physical tools to match the NFL’s physicality as a rookie. The redshirt junior will contend for a top 100 selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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Caelen Carson, CB Wake Forest: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt junior outside cornerback from Waldorf, Md.

Background: Carson was a three-star recruit from North Point High School in Waldorf, Md. in the class of 2020. He was the No. 1,725 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 1,575 for On3.com. Carson was an unranked two-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 73 grade out of 100. He recorded three interceptions, eight passes defensed, and 40 tackles as a high school senior in addition to production on offense. Carson received First Team All-Southern Maryland honors. In 2018, he amassed an interception, 13 passes defensed, 52 tackles, and three touchdowns as North Point reached the Maryland Class 4A State Championship Game with a 13-1 record. In addition to lettering in football twice, Carson played on the varsity basketball and track and field teams. He was born on March 3, 2002.

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed one game in 2020, missed five games in 2021 after suffering a season-ending injury, missed four games in 2022 with a leg injury, exited early vs. North Carolina and missed Syracuse game (2022)

Awards: 2021 Honorable Mention All-ACC

Pros: Special teams experience on the punt return and field goal block units, enters 2023 with three years of starting experience, NFL-caliber arm length extends his sphere of influence, frame offers ideal NFL size and strength, fluid hips and mobility, has alpha cornerback energy, physical throughout the route, undercuts routes for diving pass break ups, physical and plays the ball well at the catch point, plays the receiver’s hands when he can’t see the ball, closing burst to stay attached and contend on comeback routes in man, patient processor when the action is in front of him, anticipates route breaks in zone coverage, quick to close and contest on comeback routes from zone, sure tackler who challenges short completions, incredibly little YAC allowed, footspeed helps him carry receivers vertically, uses physicality to stay attached on vertical routes, decent recovery burst, plenty examples of delivering big time hits after the catch, patient and poised in his approach to the tackle, flashes of hot motor in pursuit, willing tackler in run support, wraps up low to tackle

Cons: Committed three penalties in 2022, mounting injury history, not sudden or twitchy, falls for feint releases, too quick to flip hips in press, receivers can blow past him in off-man, allows too much cushion in zone at times, awareness of threats behind him in zone is questionable, loses receivers over the crowded MOF, takes chances when undercutting routes, grabs on comeback routes in man coverage, hand fighting downfield will draw penalties, lacks elite deep speed, doesn’t always get his head around for the ball on vertical routes, moments of panic with his back to the ball, got annoyed by Shamir Hagans and committed back-to-back penalties against Duke (2022), urgency against the run is inconsistent, motor in pursuit runs hot and cold, possibility to slip off tackles because he goes low, needs to be more competitive when facing WR blocks

Overview: Carson has special teams experience on the punt return and field goal block units. He enters 2023 as a rare fourth-year player with three seasons of starting experience. Unfortunately, he only has roughly 1,360 defensive snaps under his belt during those seasons because of mounting injury concerns. Carson’s NFL-caliber arm length extends his sphere of influence and empowers the aggressive corner’s playstyle. His frame offers ideal NFL size and strength. Carson isn’t sudden or twitchy, but he’s a fluid mover with no obvious restrictions in his hip movement. The Maryland native is an alpha cornerback who enjoys playing physically throughout routes and jawing with receivers. He frequently undercuts routes for pass break ups. This is a double-edged sword. Carson often makes these plays to prevent completions, but these chances open the possibility for larger plays if Carson misses the ball. He is physical and plays the ball well at the catch point. When the fourth-year defensive back fails to get his head around, which often happens on vertical routes, he plays the receiver’s hands. Carson plays to the boundary and field for Wake Forest, but there are some games when the Demon Deacons ask him mostly to play the boundary (Missouri 2022). He plays zone and soft-shoe press but doesn’t jam as often as expected for a player with his size and strength profile. Carson falls for feint releases and is too quick to open his hips in press coverage. Receivers can blow past him in off-man, and he allows too much cushion in zone. The former three-star recruit’s awareness of threats behind him in zone is questionable. He loses receivers over the crowded middle of the field in man coverage. Carson has the closing burst to stay attached and contend on comeback routes in man coverage, but he gets very grabby on these plays. His hand fighting and physical nature will draw more penalties in the NFL. Carson’s footspeed and recovery burst help carry routes vertically, but he isn’t an ideal match for burners. He resorts to physicality to stay attached to vertical routes because he lacks elite deep speed. The 2021 All-ACC honorable mention is a patient processor when the action is in front of him. He anticipates route breaks in zone coverage and is quick to close and contest short-breaking routes from zone. Carson is a sure tackler who allowed under 50 yards after the catch in 2022. He loves delivering big hits and pumping up the defense’s energy. Carson is patient and poised in his approach to the tackle and wraps up low. He is a willing tackler in run support who shows flashes of a hot motor in pursuit. However, Carson’s urgency against the run is inconsistent, and his motor runs hot at cold. He needs to be more competitive when facing stalk blocks from wide receivers. Carson has moments of panic with his back to the ball that will lead to penalties. Duke’s Shamir Hagans got on his nerves in 2022 and pushed him into committing back-to-back penalties.

Overall, Carson is a tough, competitive cornerback ready for the NFL’s physicality, but his aggressive play style is a double-edged sword that will lead to boom-or-bust plays early in his pro career. Carson has room to tighten his technique and could rise as high as the second round.

Role & Scheme Fit: Boundary corner in a defense mixing zone with press man

Round Projection: Fourth Round

Size: 6'0", 195 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 08-17-23