He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, where he earned consensus All-American honors and was MVP of the 1995 Rose Bowl.
Carter was selected first overall in the 1995 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, but after suffering a torn ligament in his knee during his first preseason game, he struggled with injuries for the remainder of his career.
Carter attended Pennsylvania State University, where he was a standout player for coach Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions football teams from 1992 to 1994, along with a strong group of offensive players including future NFL starters Jeff Hartings, Joe Jurevicius, Kerry Collins, O.J.
Despite playing only three seasons, he is still in the top ten among Penn State running backs, having compiled 2,829 yards rushing on 395 attempts and scoring 34 touchdowns.
Carter helped lead the 1994 Penn State football team to an undefeated record and a berth in the Rose Bowl, was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting.
The Rose Bowl was Carter's final game as a Nittany Lion, as he was encouraged by Paterno to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft.
[6] The Cincinnati Bengals selected Carter with the first overall pick of the 1995 NFL draft, where his running style drew comparisons to Emmitt Smith.