Class of 2019 Razorback football signee Taurean Carter will also participate with the Arkansas men’s track and field team.

Carter, 6-3, 260, throws shot put and discus for Mansfield Legacy (Texas). He threw the shot put for a personal record of 57 feet 10 inches on May 1 in the Lake Ridge Invitational in Mansfield while winning the first place prize. On March 22, Carter threw the discus 132 feet two inches for a personal record at the Joshua Owls Invitational in Joshua (Texas).

“This is such a blessing to be in this position,” Carter stated via Twitter on Monday. “I am glad that The U of A took a chance on letting me play at the next level now they are wanting me to do Track and Field. I wanna thank my teammates and track coaches cause without them I wouldn’t have taken throwing serious. They push me day in and day out to be better and not settle for average and have no choice but to perfect greatness.”

Carter, who signed with the Razorbacks on Dec. 19 of last year, chose Arkansas despite receiving offers from 17 other schools, including Florida, Colorado, Houston, Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Purdue, SMU, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and Wisconsin. The defensive lineman is rated a 3-star and the 59th best defensive tackle in the nation by 247Sports. Other services have him ranked higher, as he is the 45th ranked defensive tackle according to the industry generated 247Sports Composite Ranking.

When Carter arrives on campus this summer, he will be joined by fellow Mansfield Legacy teammates 4-star safety Jalen Catalon, 5-9, 188, and 3-star defensive tackle Enoch Jackson, 6-0, 290. Carter and Jackson join five other 2019 defensive linemen that will be enrolled at Arkansas next fall, including Oklahoma City Putnam City 4-star defensive end Collin Clay, 6-4, 261, and Warren (Ark.) 3-star defensive tackle Marcus Miller, 6-3, 300. Douglasville (Ga.) Douglas County 4-star defensive end Mataio Soli, 6-4, 225, Little Rock Joe T. Robinson 3-star defensive end Zach Williams, 6-4, 235, and Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy 3-star Eric Gregory, 6-4, 270, all enrolled early and participated in spring practice.

The defensive line unit for the Hogs is the most experienced group on the team with five seniors rotating with the first group, including McTelvin Agim, Gabe Richardson, Dorian Gerald, Jamario Bell and TJ Smith. Soli, Gregory and Williams were already participating with the second unit during spring practice and will have a leg up on Carter and the rest of the young defensive linemen.

The University of Arkansas has a storied track and field program with 20 indoor NCAA championships and 10 outdoor championships. Their most recent NCAA title was an indoor championship in 2013 that was won in Fayetteville. Last season, the outdoor team finished the season ranked No. 21 in the nation. Georgia won the outdoor championship in 2018 while Florida most recently won the indoor title on March 9.