Xavier Carlton, EDGE, California
Size:
Height: 6’6” (v) | Weight: 270 lbs (v)
Accomplishments:
Four-star recruit
“Xavier Carlton is a highly intriguing ball of clay at the edge spot who, with the correct development, could enjoy a large rise on draft boards due to his physical profile and ability on early downs.”
Strengths:
Length
Strength in upper half/hands
Body profile will allow for alignment versatility
Looks the part
Concerns:
Flexibility
Bend
Twitch
Pass-rush repertoire
Extremely raw as a pass rusher
Film Analysis:
Xavier Carlton is a highly intriguing ball of clay at the edge spot who, with the correct development, could enjoy a large rise on draft boards due to his physical profile and ability on early downs. Aligned primarily outside the shoulder of the offensive tackle (5-tech), Carlton flashes the frame and skill set that could see him earn more snaps within the interior of the defensive line in hybrid fronts.
As a run defender, Carlton showcases excellent usage of his length, stacking and shedding with consistency. He’s not an upfield penetrator who attempts to disrupt ball-carriers in the backfield. Rather, Carlton approaches the run game with technique and patience to seal the edge. Once he understands the ball-carrier is not looking to press the edge or bounce to the perimeter, Carlton will disengage from blocks and pursue the football. Has good athleticism to run in space with long strides that eat up ground. To his side, Carlton casts a large net to haul in rushers due to his vast wingspan. Tackles well in 1-on-1 opportunities. Is most comfortable in a two-point stance (standing up) but can play with his hand in the dirt (three-point stance) as well.
As a pass rusher, Carlton has a ways to go to become a threat to earn consistent snaps at the next level. However, the tools and traits are there that remain intriguing towards his ceiling as a prospect. Will align up and down the line of scrimmage, with success from a variety of alignments. Primarily a power rusher who looks to bull rush his way to pressures but has shown flashes of bend and more fluid actions (55 pressures in 2023 ranked ninth among all Power Five edge rushers). Carlton has good explosiveness off the snap but stands straight up before contact. As a power rusher, building momentum from his lower half to his hands will showcase a higher amount of force to blow opponents back. Length can cause a high amount of issues for opponents, as Carlton does a nice job of establishing contact and controlling the rep. Long arm move is present but is not used at a rate that would showcase it as a part of his repertoire.
Concerns remain about a tight lower half, which limits his overall bend. Looks primarily to win through the chest of opposing blockers, and any threat to the outside shoulder from Carlton is usually stymied quickly. He cannot flatten out at full speed nor has the flexibility to sink and drive off of his outside foot around the arc. High chest presents a large surface area for linemen to target, also. Adding mass could see Carlton enjoy a long-term move to the inside.
Overall, Carlton’s ability to continue his production in the new-look ACC will remain paramount in rounding out his projection. While he has room to evolve, specifically in his nuance as a pass-rusher, there are traits (along with an NFL-ready frame) that will excite teams in need of increased depth at the edge spot.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Scheme Specific Contributor
Written By: Ryan Fowler
Exposures: Auburn (2023), USC (2023), Washington State (2023)
