Russell Carter


Russell Edmonds Carter, Jr. is a former American college and professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League for six seasons during the 1980s. Carter played college football for Southern Methodist University, and then played professionally for the New York Jets and Los Angeles Raiders of the NFL.

Early life and education

Carter was born in Ardmore, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended Lower Merion High School in Ardmore prior to attending Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and playing for the SMU Mustangs football team from 1980 to 1983. He was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American in 1983 and was the 10th pick overall in the 1984 NFL draft.

Professional career

The New York Jets selected Carter in the first round of the 1984 NFL Draft, and he played for the Jets from to. He played his final two NFL seasons for the Los Angeles Raiders in and. In six NFL seasons, Carter appeared in sixty-four games, started forty-seven of them, intercepted four passes, and recovered three fumbles.