Legacy WR Devin Carter turns heads early at Florida State. Builds own path
· Yahoo Sports
Freshman wide receiver Devin Carter arrived at Florida State carrying one of the program’s most familiar last names. Now he’s working to make sure his own legacy stands beside— not behind—his father’s.
Carter, the son of former FSU running back and first-round NFL draft pick Dexter Carter, said he embraces the expectations that come with being a legacy player.
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“I fully respect the legacy,” Carter said. “I’m here to create my own legacy while also living in my dad’s legacy.”
The 6-foot-1, 177-pound freshman enrolled early at FSU, a move he said made the transition smoother thanks to years of preparation and familiarity with the team.
“It made me more comfortable. I was prepared,” Carter said. “There are a lot of guys in the locker room I’ve been watching during visits for the past three or four years. Getting word from them, knowing what to expect—it made it easier. The coaches gave me the real recruiting process, so it felt the same when I got here.”
Carter has quickly stood out through the opening week of spring practices. Head coach Mike Norvell praised his speed, competitiveness and attention to detail.
“He’s got great speed and ball skills,” Norvell said. “I think he can be a really good route runner. He’s a good worker, and you can tell he’s a technician. Not everything has gone well for him this week, but you can feel his urgency to get better and improve. I like what I’ve seen.”
Devin Carter takes life lessons from his father's football career
Carter’s work ethic mirrors that of his father, who starred at FSU from 1986–89 under the late Bobby Bowden. Despite being the smallest back on the roster, Dexter Carter earned the starting job and became known for his toughness and coachability.
“He was the shortest guy here, but he was doing all the drills and was the best one out there,” Devin said. “Coach Bowden took a chance on him. Hearing how he stayed on him and pushed him—his heart was oversized, and that meant a lot to both of them.”
Dexter Carter finished his FSU career with 3,260 all-purpose yards—15th all-time—and 22 total touchdowns before playing seven NFL seasons and winning a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers.
Devin wasn’t around to see his father’s FSU career, but he said fans and film have filled in the gaps.
“I know he left a great legacy here,” he said. “I can’t fully experience what he did, but hearing from other people gives me perspective on what he meant to this place.”
He hopes to pass his father’s speed one day—Dexter ran a 4.3-second 40 at the NFL Combine, while Devin currently sits at 4.4. But the lesson that stuck the most wasn’t physical.
“My dad went through a lot,” Carter said. “He had 17 knee surgeries, so he taught me how to deal with adversity. That helps me every day here.”
Devin Carter, guided by senior leader Duce Robinson, another legacy receiver
As he navigates his first months as a Seminole, Carter has leaned on another legacy player: senior wide receiver Duce Robinson, son of former FSU receiver Dominic Robinson. Robinson, coming off a 1,000-yard season, has become Carter’s example of what a “pro-ready” player looks like.
“The first day I got on campus, I knew that’s who I wanted to follow,” Carter said. “Not be like him, but follow him. The past few weeks we’ve been the first ones in the building, getting extra work in. I’m trying to soak up as much as I can and carry that into the next three years—and hopefully pass it down to someone younger one day.”
Robinson’s influence, he added, goes well beyond football.
“He’s a valuable guy in that room—on the field and off it,” Carter said. “Even for a senior project, I’m interviewing him. There’s just a lot of knowledge coming from a guy like that.”
For Devin Carter, the family legacy isn’t something to escape. It’s a foundation—one he hopes will support the path he’s already begun carving on his own.
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at [email protected] or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Devin Carter building his own FSU football legacy this spring