Duron Carter was supposed to be the next big then when he committed to Ohio State and tried to follow in the footsteps of his father, Hall of Fame wide receiver, Cris Carter.
Instead Duron struggled to adjust, floating from Ohio State to Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, and from Alabama to Florida Atlantic during an odyssey repeatedly derailed by academic woes.
His father put it best during an interview earlier this week with USA Today.
“He. Just. Hates. (Bleeping). School,” Cris Carter told USA Today’s Mike Garafolo earlier this month.
Duron Carter will now only have to focus on football after signing a deal with the Minnesota Vikings according to Adam Schefter.
Like father like son: Former Vikings Hall-of-Fame WR Cris Carter’s son, Alabama WR Duron Carter, is signing with Vikings today.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 28, 2013
Star Tribune columnist Mark Craig indicated the same via his Twitter page.
Cris Carter just called to say his great year just got better. His son, Duron Carter, a 6-4 receiver, will sign with the #Vikings today.
— Mark Craig (@markcraignfl) April 28, 2013
His father insists Duron will thrive in a football-only environment, saying, “I know there aren’t a lot of better receivers than him in this draft.”
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Update:
Tom Pelissero of ESPN 1500 is reporting that Viking GM Rick Spielman has denied that Duron Carter signed a free agent deal, and instead will take part in a tryout during next weekend’s rookie minicamp.
According to general manager Rick Spielman, one player the Vikings didn’t sign was Duron Carter, the son of longtime Vikings receiver and soon-to-be Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter, who is being brought in to next weekend’s rookie camp on a tryout basis only.
Multiple reports on Sunday said Carter had been signed. Spielman said that was incorrect and that Carter will be among 30 to 35 players participating in the rookie camp on a tryout basis, as the Vikings bring in every year.