Senior Bowl 2021: Results and Prospects Who Boosted Draft Stock at Showcase

North Carolina's Michael Carter was overshadowed by a handful of the nation's top running backs, including one of his teammates, for parts of the 2020 college football season.

During Senior Bowl week in Mobile, Alabama, Carter captured the spotlight as one of the most impressive four-year players on either roster.

Carter's performances in practice and Saturday's showcase led many draft experts to place him right underneath the top tier of running backs, which is led by Alabama's Najee Harris and Clemson's Travis Etienne. Carter was part of the winning squad in Saturday's contest. The National team, coached by the Miami Dolphins staff, beat the American team 27-24.

Another ACC star captured plenty of attention on the defensive side of the ball. Wake Forest pass-rusher Carlos Basham Jr. improved his NFL draft stock the most on defense by showcasing his talents over the past week.

Michael Carter, RB, North Carolina

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Carter was one of two North Carolina running backs to rush for more than 1,000 yards this season. Javonte Williams was the other.

However, Carter only had four 100-yard games, and there were six contests between his third triple-digit mark and a 308-yard outburst against the Miami Hurricanes. Williams had five 100-yard outings in a six-game span prior to earning 236 yards versus Miami.

Carter was more than effective in the National team's ground attack, as he put up 75 yards and a touchdown on 10 touches, per Pro Football Focus College Football.

The Athletic's Dane Brugler commented that he had "no regrets" about putting Carter in his top 100 players. He is one of five running backs inside that list.

Carter may not be able to eclipse Harris or Etienne on draft boards, but his performance in Mobile could see him land at the back end of the first round.

The second round would be a great spot for any team to land a running back like Carter based off last year's results. D'Andre Swift, Cam Akers, Jonathan Taylor and J.K. Dobbins were chosen in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Carlos Basham, DE, Wake Forest

Rusty Costanza/Associated Press

Basham may have made the largest surge up the draft board of any defensive player.

The Wake Forest pass-rusher drew rave reviews from a handful of experts, including NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah: "Basham made himself some money this week by showing his inside/outside versatility. Some defensive linemen just have a knack for getting into the backfield no matter where they line up, and Boogie is one of those players."

Basham recorded 20.5 sacks and forced four fumbles in his four seasons at Wake Forest. He earned 11.5 take downs in his junior campaign.

Prior to the Senior Bowl, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. projected seven defensive ends or pass-rushers would be chosen in the first round, starting with Penn State's Micah Parsons.

If the demand for pass-rushers is there at the back end of the first round, Basham could leap over a few of his classmates and on to the roster of a playoff contender. The Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers could be among the interested parties in the 20s.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.