How Ryan Carter escaped Robert Nkemdiche’s shadow and became a lockdown CB at Clemson

Ryan Carter was going through the recruiting process as a lightly sought prospect in the summer of 2012, hoping for a phone call that would change his life.

The undersized cornerback was being recruited mostly by non-Power Five programs, but he believed he could play big-time college football, and was waiting to get word that he would get the chance.

In early July, Carter’s phone began buzzing with news that would shape his future. But it wasn’t because he was getting scholarship offers. It was because of an article written about his high school teammate and the No. 1 prospect in the country, Robert Nkemdiche.

Nkemdiche, who was committed to Clemson, was also being pursued by Ole Miss. In an…