Editor’s Note: Arion Carter’s journey from Smyrna High School standout to Gatorade Tennessee Football Player of the Year has been a tremendous source of pride for our community. At Smyrna, Arion starred on both sides of the ball, helping lead the Bulldogs to a 10–2 season while excelling in the classroom and giving back through local service. I had the honor of inviting him to the State Capitol to meet with UT President Randy Boyd, Speaker Cameron Sexton, and other lawmakers, where we recognized his achievements and the example he sets for young people across Tennessee.
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Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter has reversed course on his professional football plans, withdrawing from the NFL Draft and entering the transfer portal instead.
According to Steve Wiltfong of On3.com, Carter explained his decision in an email to Volunteers coach Josh Heupel and athletic director Danny White, citing both academic and athletic motivations.
“Just the simple fact of me being able to go and finish my degree—I only have a couple credit hours left,” Carter wrote. “I’ll be the first in my family to graduate college. I just want to go and have a full season healthy.”
Carter revealed he battled turf toe throughout the previous season, preventing him from performing at his expected level. “Being able to come back and have a full year of training and sharpening my tools and being a better linebacker and setting out to do everything I want to accomplish this next year” drove his decision to return to college football.
Carter is not expected to return to Tennessee despite withdrawing from the draft.
NCAA Eligibility Questions Loom
Carter’s return to college football raises questions about NCAA eligibility rules, which traditionally haven’t allowed players to withdraw from professional drafts. However, recent precedent suggests Carter may have a clear path back.
The NCAA recently granted basketball player James Nnaji four years of eligibility despite being selected in the first round of the NBA draft, provided he didn’t sign a professional contract. That decision—likely influenced by concerns about federal antitrust violations—could pave the way for Carter and other athletes in similar situations.
Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson recently faced a comparable decision after declaring for the NFL Draft, then receiving multi-million-dollar NIL offers to return to college. He ultimately chose to pursue the NFL.
The Nnaji precedent suggests that any drafted player with remaining eligibility who hasn’t signed a professional contract could challenge NCAA restrictions in court—and likely prevail.
