Nolan Carroll

Nolan Carroll

Carroll with the Dolphins in 2011
No. 28     Miami Dolphins
Cornerback
Personal information
Date of birth: January 16, 1987 (1987-01-16) (age 24)
Place of birth: Green Cove Springs, Florida
Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	Weight: 204 lb (93 kg)
Career information
College: Maryland
NFL Draft: 2010 / Round: 5 / Pick: 145
Debuted in 2010 for the Miami Dolphins
Career history
Miami Dolphins (2010–present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 10, 2011
Tackles	24
Sacks	0.0
Interceptions	1
Stats at NFL.com

Nolan Carroll, Jr. (born January 16, 1987) is an American football defensive back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was selected in the 5th round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins from the University of Maryland.

Early life

Carroll was born on January 18, 1987^[1] in Green Cove Springs, Florida.^[2] His mother, Jennifer, is the current Lieutenant Governor of Florida and a former United States Navy lieutenant commander. His father, Nolan Carroll, Sr., was a senior master sergeant in the United States Air Force.^[2]

Carroll attended Clay High School in Green Cove Springs, where he was a one-year letterman in soccer and a three-year starting wide receiver for the football team. In his second football game as a senior, he broke his leg and was forced to sit out for the rest of the 2004 season. Nevertheless, The Florida Times-Union named him to its Super 11 and Super 24 teams. PrepStar named him an All-Southeast region and SuperPrep an All-Dixie region player.^[2] Carroll received athletic scholarship offers from Central Florida, Colorado, Louisville, Maryland, and Mississippi.^[3] Scout.com rated him a two-star college prospect,^[3] while Rivals.com considered him a three-star prospect.^[4] He ultimately committed to attend the University of Maryland.^[2]

College career

Carroll sat out the 2005 season on redshirt status, and was named the scout team player of the week for his performance in the practices in preparation for the Florida State game. In 2006, Carroll saw action in all 13 games as a reserve wide receiver and on special teams. He recorded five kickoff returns for 60 yards. Against West Virginia, he had two returns for 12 yards; against Boston College, he had two for 31 yards; and against Wake Forest, he had one for 17 yards.^[2]

In 2007, he was converted to the cornerback position, and saw action in all 13 games as a reserve. He recorded seven tackles on special teams, and returned five kickoffs for 84 yards. He saw action in the 2007 Emerald Bowl against Oregon State, but recorded no statistics.^[2] In 2008, he saw action in ten games including four starts as a cornerback. Carroll recorded 37 tackles. In the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl against Nevada, he tallied seven tackles including four solo, and broke-up two passes.^[2]

Carroll entered the 2009 season as a starting cornerback, but broke his leg in a September 12 game against James Madison, and missed the rest of the season.^[2] Prior to the season, he was elected by his teammates as one of the team's four captains.^[5] Defensive coordinator Don Brown said of Carroll, "If you were going to clone a guy at that position that he plays, he'd be one of the prototypes."^[6] The NFL Draft Scout, a CBS Sports affiliate, considered Carroll the 25th out of 225 ranked cornerback prospects for the 2010 NFL Draft, and projected him as a sixth- or seventh-round selection.^[7]

Professional career

The Miami Dolphins selected Carroll in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft with the 145th overall pick. The pick was received in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers for wide receiver Ted Ginn.^[8] He was considered one of the team's most promising rookies, and saw action on special teams during the preseason.^[9] In Week 4, he handled kickoff return duties against the New England Patriots.^[10] Carroll was part of an improved Miami special teams unit two weeks later against the Green Bay Packers, a game in which he averaged 26.0 yards per kickoff return.^[11]

On December 13, 2010, New York Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi extended his knee to trip Carroll as he ran down the sidelines as a gunner on punt coverage duties.^[12] Ex-Dolphin Zach Thomas later found out that Alosi had ordered a wall formed on the edge of the coaching box, prompting the Jets to suspend Alosi indefinitely.^[13] In the same game, Carroll recorded his career first interception when he picked off Jets' quarterback Mark Sanchez.^[14]

References

1. ^ Nolan Carroll Stats, ESPN, retrieved August 30, 2009.
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Player Bio: Nolan Carroll, University of Maryland, retrieved August 30, 2009.
3. ^ ^{a b} Nolan Carroll Profile, Scout.com, retrieved August 30, 2009.
4. ^ Nolan Carroll, Rivals.com, retrieved August 30, 2009.
5. ^ Jeff Barker, Maryland elects football captains, The Baltimore Sun, August 29, 2009.
6. ^ Patrick Stevens, Breaking down why Terrapins broke down, The Washington Times, November 28, 2009.
7. ^ Nolan Carroll, Maryland, CB: 2010 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile, The NFL Draft Scout, retrieved August 30, 2009.
8. ^ Dolphins trade Ginn to 49ers, ESPN.com, April 16, 2010.
9. ^ Dolphins defensive back knows comeback route, The Washington Post, September 5, 2010.
10. ^ Miami Dolphins special-teams coordinator John Bonamego figures to take plenty of heat this week, The Palm Beach Post, October 4, 2010.
11. ^ Wrap-up: Dolphins 23, Packers 20, ESPN, October 17, 2010.
12. ^ Jets coach Sal Alosi apologizes for trip, ESPN, December 13, 2010.
13. ^ Ex-Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas: New York Jets put up wall on trip play, ESPN New York, December 15, 2010.
14. ^ Jets coach admits tripping Carroll; NFL investigating; Sal Alosi apologizes for "total lapse in judgment", The Sun-Sentinel, December 13, 2010.