Jordan Hamm
The NFL Veteran Combine was a chance for NFL free agents to show all 32 teams what they had to offer. When it was all said and done Sunday, few showed more than Deveron Carr. The former Chaparral Firebird and Arizona State defensive back impressed scouts and team representatives Sunday afternoon, and the Indianapolis Colts wasted no time in signing Carr to a contract, making him the second signee from the combine. While Sunday afternoon could be huge for Carr, he knows this is a process.
“I understand after these few interviews with these few teams, it really doesn’t mean (anything) until I’m sitting…and signing a contract,” Carr said. “At the end of the day I still have to work hard and make that team, that 53, and then play on that Sunday. That’s just the beginning….I still have to work hard.”
Carr has done exactly that.
After a decorated career at Arizona State, Carr signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013. He appeared in nine games, but was eventually waived in August, 2014. In a year that Carr described as “stressful”, he continues to work towards another opportunity with an NFL team. He says his time at Arizona State, specifically under Coach Graham, helped him get to this point.
“I think that if your world revolves discipline and you do the little things the right way, then the big things will take care of itself as well,” Carr said. “I learned a lot from Coach Graham about working hard, staying mentally sound and disciplined, and having a strong head.”
Carr continued his praise of his former coach, wondering what could have been had he been given the opportunity to play for Graham for longer than one season.
“I wish I could have played for him for a little bit (longer). I feel like I would have had a better opportunity coming out of college playing for the guy because he’s very smart, very technical; he was very detailed with everything that he taught us.”
But Carr knows this process is about looking forward and not back. He accomplished a lot in his first workout in a year, and now knows what he needs to do to improve upon to land on an NFL roster.
“I feel like I could have done better in some areas, but I feel like that could have been just be a little bit of getting the rust off. That lets me know what I need to work on tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow” was signing with an NFL team. With performances like what he had on Sunday, “tomorrow” looks pretty bright for Carr.
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