Bruce Carter ( American football ) Bruce Carter ( born February 19 , 1988 ) is an American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys . He was considered one of the top linebacker prospects for the 2011 NFL Draft . Early years . Carter attended Havelock High School in Havelock , North Carolina . He played quarterback , safety and running back . As a senior he rushed for 1 , 063 yards with 15 touchdowns as a running back and threw for 585 yards and five touchdowns as a quarterback . Considered a three - star recruit by " Rivals . com " , Carter was listed as the No . 33 safety prospect in the nation . College career . Freshman season . Carter was converted to linebacker in college . In the Tar Heels ' season opener , against James Madison , Carter got his first blocked punt . The football was recovered in the end zone by a fellow Tar Heel for a touchdown . Carter started his first game as a Tar Heel in the game against East Carolina , he garnered four tackles during the game . As a freshman in 2007 Carter started seven of 12 games , recording 25 tackles . Sophomore season . As a sophomore in 2008 Carter started all 13 games at outside linebacker . In the game against Rutgers , Carter intercepted a pass and returned it 66 yards for a touchdown , this was the first touchdown of his career . In the Tar Heels ' game against Miami , Carter blocked one punt . The blocked punt proved to be crucial , as the Tar Heels drove 56 yards down the field and scored after the punt was blocked . One of Bruce Carter ' s best games of his sophomore season was the game against Connecticut . The blocking of three punts in one game earned Carter the ACC record for most punts blocked in a single game . In that game he recorded three blocked punts , all of which occurred during the second quarter of the game . In the Tar Heels ' loss to the Virginia Cavaliers , Carter blocked a Cavalier field goal attempt . He finished the season with 68 tackles , five sacks , an interception , which was returned for a touchdown , and a nation leading five blocked kicks . Junior season . Carter started all 13 games as an outside linebacker . Carter tipped a punt in the Tar Heel ' s game against the Citadel . In the Tar Heels ' game against Georgia Southern , Carter intercepted a pass and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown , this was Carter ' s second career touchdown . As a junior in 2009 , Carter has 48 tackles , a sack , and an interception . Carter earned a career high 13 tackles in the game against NC State . Carter was voted to Second - Team All - ACC . This was Carter ' s only season where he did not record a blocked punt . Senior season . Carter returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown in the third game of the season against Rutgers . In that game Carter also recorded a blocked punt and seven tackles . Carter ' s senior season was cut short due to a knee injury , which dropped his draft stock . He sustained the injury during the game against NC State . He would miss the last two games of the season against Duke and the 2010 Music City Bowl , which was played against Tennessee Volunteers . Carter was a finalist for the 2010 Butkus Award , but lost to Von Miller of Texas A & M . He finished his final season as a Tar Heel with 57 tackles , 3 . 5 tackles for loss , 2 . 5 sacks , and one forced fumble . Carter was again voted to Second - Team All - ACC . Professional career . 2011 season . Carter was projected as a first round draft pick before sustaining an ACL injury in his left knee during his senior season . Just as they did with Sean Lee who had a similar situation when he was drafted , the Dallas Cowboys selected him in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft . He spent his rookie season recovering from the injury . On October 29 , 2011 , he was activated from the non - football injury list to the Cowboys active roster , taking the spot of the waived Tashard Choice . His participation was mostly limited to special teams , playing only a total of 41 defensive snaps . 2012 season . Entering the 2012 season the team decided not to resign Keith Brooking and Bradie James , because they considered Carter to be ready to start at inside linebacker next to Sean Lee , after playing outside linebacker for most of his college career . The Cowboys also signed Dan Connor as a free agent to compete with Carter and to protect themselves in case he couldn ' t earn a starting role . That potential competition never materialized , because Carter would end up having a break out year , even expanding his role after Lee was placed on injured reserve in October . He finished second on the team with 70 tackles , despite being placed on injured reserve for the final five games , after dislocating his left elbow on Thanksgiving Day .