Bruce Carter was drafted No. 40 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2011 NFL Draft out of North Carolina. 101 regular-season games · 3 seasons as a starter · 20 career approximate value
2011 NFL Draft · Rd 2, Pick 8 · #40 overall
Bruce Carter North Carolina Draft
Bruce Carter was drafted No. 40 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2011 NFL Draft out of North Carolina. 101 regular-season games · 3 seasons as a starter · 20 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #40
- Round
- 2
- Draft class
- 2011
- NFL games
- 101
- Years as starter
- 3
- Career AV
- 2053rd at North Carolina
The pick
How Bruce Carter came off the board in 2011.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- College
-
North Carolina
ACC at the draft
- Measurables
- 6'2" · 241 lbs
- Hometown
- Havelock, NC
- Pre-draft board
- No. 48 prospect84.0 grade
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
101 regular-season games · 3 seasons as a starter · 20 career approximate value
- Games played
- 101
- Seasons as a starter
- 3
- Career approximate value
- 2053rd among North Carolina picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 1680% of career value
- Final season
- 20187 years after the draft
Around pick 40
Who came off the board on either side of Bruce Carter.
Virginia Tech
UCLA
Clemson
Arizona
North Carolina in the 2011 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Robert Quinn
DE · LAR
North Carolina · 1× All-Pro · 3× Pro Bowl
#52
Marvin Austin
DT · NYG
North Carolina
#59
Greg Little
WR · CLE
North Carolina
#100
Da'Norris Searcy
DB · BUF
North Carolina
#133
Johnny White
RB · BUF
North Carolina
#152
T.J. Yates
QB · HOU
North Carolina
#171
Quan Sturdivant
LB · ARI
North Carolina
#218
Ryan Taylor
TE · GB
North Carolina
Other LB picks from North Carolina
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
North Carolina · Hall of Fame · 8× All-Pro · 10× Pro Bowl
#52
Zach Brown
LB · TEN · 2012
North Carolina · 1× Pro Bowl
#36
Buddy Curry
LB · ATL · 1980
North Carolina
#235
Carlton Bailey
LB · BUF · 1988
North Carolina
#17
Brian Simmons
LB · CIN · 1998
North Carolina
#36
Mike Wilcher
LB · LAR · 1983
North Carolina
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Bruce Carter in the 2011 NFL Draft
Bruce Carter is a Linebacker out of North Carolina selected No. 40 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2011 NFL Draft. 101 regular-season games · 3 seasons as a starter · 20 career approximate value North Carolina has produced 154 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Bruce Carter drafted?
Bruce Carter was selected No. 40 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2011 NFL Draft (Rd 2, Pick 8). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2011/bruce-carter.
What college did Bruce Carter play for?
Bruce Carter played college football at North Carolina in the ACC. See every North Carolina draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/north-carolina-tar-heels.
How did Bruce Carter's NFL career turn out?
101 regular-season games · 3 seasons as a starter · 20 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2011/bruce-carter.