Army linebacker Andre Carter II may have to wait longer than expected to begin his NFL career. The potential first-round pick will have to complete his military service immediately after graduation if President Joe Biden signs the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed through Congress last week.
According to a report from The Military Times, there is a policy change included in the bill that would eliminate exceptions for service academy athletes hoping to delay their active-duty service until the end of their career in professional sports.
In 2019, former President Donald Trump approved a plan that allowed athletes at the service academies to apply for a waiver that would delay their mandatory two years of active-duty service while they pursued a pro sports career. If President Biden signs the new defense bill -- which he is expected to do -- that policy will be eliminated.
That would greatly affect Carter, who would not be grandfathered in under the old policy. Carter is a potential early-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he might even sneak into the first round.
Carter's father, Andre, told ESPN that his son was upset when he found out about the potential change after the Black Knights' rivalry win over Navy on Dec. 10.
"He's so upset," Andre Carter said. "He was literally, visually upset because of the uncertainty. He was not happy. When you're in the military, everything is precise. To have something at the 11th hour kind of thrown out there when you are so used to having a regimen. He's in a fog about the whole thing."
Army coach Jeff Monken also defended Carter, who chose not to transfer out of Army ahead of the 2022 season. Monken said Carter isn't trying to avoid his military service. Instead, Carter is just trying to chase his NFL dream prior to serving.
"It's just kind of pulling the rug out from under him," Monken told ESPN. "It's not fair. It's not fair to him. He was loyal to this team and institution. He could have left and he didn't. He still wants to serve. It's not that he doesn't want to serve. He wants to pursue the NFL and play, and then serve. I'm 100% against it."
Carter has been one of the best linebackers in the country for the last couple of years now. He broke out in 2021 with 17.0 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks. This past season, Carter racked up 7.0 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.