At 6-foot-5 and 240-pounds, he is one of the state's top jumbo athletes and a sure-fire top-20 in-state prospect. He already has offers from NC State, South Carolina, North Carolina, Michigan, Marshall, Alabama, Virginia Tech, and Virginia, with the Wolverines and the Thundering Herd being the latest.

CARTER QUOTE: "I didn't think that other colleges could be right for me. Another school may be a great organization for somebody else, but I thought that this was right for me an my family. That's something Coach O'Brien always talks about - family, your organization, and then football.

"I liked the organization of the practices by Coach O'Brien and what he was saying to me. I love that he puts education first, he throws first to the tight ends, and he loves the physical guys. That's what we do here at Independence. They want everything done the right way instead of taking the shortcut.

"The offenses are similar how they use the tight ends, the two tight sets. It is a great fit for me right htere. I didn't want to go to the SEC because they don't throw to the tight end that much." -- Mario Carter

COACH QUOTE: "Mario is an explosive tight end, and an excellent athlete who can run with the ball after he catches it.

"He is very aggressive, a real competitor. He wants to win, and never wants to come off the field. He has room to grow (physically). We've tried him a little on defense, but he'll play tight end." -- Independence Head Coach Tommy Knotts -- (Charlotte Observer)

SCOUTING REPORT: "Mario is a very well-coached, athletic tight end with a world of potential. The Indepenence offense revolves around his ability to block on the edge and create a seam for the running backs. The back-breaking tight end screens are well suited to Carter's ability to make solid grabs and create some yards after the catch." -- Scout.com Recruiting Analyst Miller Safrit