LB Kaden Carter dazzles in front of Maryland staff, set to return to College Park

Ahmed Ghafir
1 day ago
2 min read

The second bye week gave the Maryland staff a chance to span across the DMV and beyond on Friday night with the 2026 cycle in its final weeks and 2027 drawing increased attention through the fall, but Maryland was also along present for what proved to be a big night for a longtime Maryland commit.

With running backs coach Louis Swaba on the sideline, Lamar County (GA) three-star linebacker Kaden Carter recorded 21 total tackles, including 19 solo, in a 22-6 win vs. Social Circle on Senior Night.

“Just stopping the run, just being there for my team on the defensive side. I had to step up on the defensive side,” Carter told IBG after the win. “I put together that explosiveness. I just put myself out there like I’m an explosive player, I can play any position and I give it my all no matter what.”

Carter has been a big part in Lamar County’s 9-0 ahead of next week’s away game vs. Monticello on Halloween night. But for Carter, showcasing himself as the explosive, instinctive linebacker has been a big reason why he was a top target for Maryland at the start of the 2026 cycle with Swaba, defensive coordinator Ted Monachino and coordinator of player personnel Marcus Thomas all involved ahead of his commitment back on April 24.

Carter initially planned to follow through on June official visits to Georgia Tech and Louisville, but shut down his recruitment after kicking the month off with his official visit to College Park. Fast forward to now, Carter is set to return for his second game of the season when Maryland hosts second-ranked Indiana for the Nov. 1 homecoming game.

“I feel like it’s all matching up,” Carter added. “I feel like I fit in really well, like I’m already there basically. They told me I’m going to be used like [Trey Reddick].”

Carter added that “a few [schools]” have been in contact through his senior year “but they haven’t really been consistent” with the 6-foot-1, 198-pound linebacker on track to enroll at Maryland in January.

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