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Former Ohio cornerback Travis Carrie is now an Oakland Raider after being selected in the 7th round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
Carrie, a 6-foot corner, is now the latest member of the Ohio Bobcats to be drafted into the NFL after a succesful, but injury filled career. Carrie, a California native, is no stranger to adversity. The Ohio DB recorded 35 tackles and an interception as a true freshman for the Ohio Bobcats in 2008, just two years removed from open heart surgery.
Carrie missed the entire 2009 season while recovering from a torn labrum in his hip. In 2010 and 2011 Carrie flourished in Ohio's secondary as a starting corner, and started to garner attention from NFL scouts. A physical defender, Carrie racked up 88 tackles,18 pass breakups, , seven tackles for loss, four interceptions, two sacks, and two forced fumbles in those two seasons. But a after suffering a fractured shoulder in the offseason leading up to the 2012 season, Carrie missed the entire year.
The big corner responded by working towards his masters degree while rehabbing, and appeared in all 13 of Ohio's games in 2013 as the No. 1 cornerback. His production picked up right where he left off, recording 42 tackles, eight pass breakups and four interceptions for the 'Cats.
Carrie was invited to the NFL Combine, but had to sit out drills due to a knee issue.
PRO DAY RESULTS:
HEIGHT: 6'
WEIGHT: 206 lbs
40-YARD DASH: 4.43 sec
20-YARD SHUTTLE: 4.21 sec
VERTICAL: 41''
BROAD JUMP: 123''
BENCH PRESS: 17 reps
Part of what makes Carrie so successful, aside from his drive, is his outstanding size. He's a bigger bodied cornerback, with good strength who can get in and jam a receiver. Despite his bigger size, his speed is still top notch. He ran his 40 in the low 4.4s at his pro day, and kept pace with the MAC's speedy receivers.
Carrie's ball skills are fantastic as well. He follows the ball, and has good anticipation. He can step in and swipe a pass, and has the sure hands of a receiver making him a threat for interceptions. His instincts are there.
However, his physical issues (injuries) has likely led to some sloppy footwork techniques and will need to improve there. He also doesn't hit as hard as you'd expect from a corner his size. But his ability to contribute in special teams (he was a solid punt returner at Ohio) means he should be able to make an impact from Day 1.