Although the Wolverines employed an offense that relied mostly on its running backs, he was one of the most productive receivers in the school's history.

Standing 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighing only 160 pounds, Carter relied on his speed to make plays and provided an effective counterpoint to coach Bo Schembechler's running game plan.

Things looked grim, but with six seconds remaining, Carter told quarterback John Wangler in the huddle, "Hey, Johnny.

On the next play, Carter, sprinting left to right, met Wangler's pass in a seam over the middle at the Hoosier 25.

A three-time All-American, he was named Big Ten Conference MVP his senior season, and finished fourth in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

On December 12, 2014, the Big Ten Network included Carter on "The Mount Rushmore of Michigan Football", as chosen by online fan voting.

The league employed a territorial draft, aimed at sending players to teams whose fans were already familiar with them.

Because of this unique system, the Michigan Panthers were allowed to select Carter prior to the league's traditional draft.

Although the team started 1–4, they finished the regular season 12-6 and went on to defeat the Philadelphia Stars to win the first USFL championship.

The following season, he caught 4 passes for 102 yards in a 28-17 wild card round win over the Los Angeles Rams.

The final two years of Carter's pro career were spent in the same state where it began, this time with the Detroit Lions.