NFL preseason news for former Michigan State stars has been pretty doom-and-gloom lately, with guys like Kenny Willekes, Mike Panasiuk, Montorie Foster Jr., Matt Sokol, and Ameer Speed all getting cut from their respective teams, but there was some positive news this week, too.
While a handful of Spartans didn't make the cut, former RB1 Nate Carter did.
According to Falcons beat writer Marc Raimondi, Carter is expected to be officially named to the 53-man roster. This defies the odds as he was an undrafted free agent.
RB Nathan Carter will make the #Falcons 53-man roster, per a source.
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) August 26, 2025
This is a huge development, seeing as he was just hoping to make an impression this preseason for future roster considerations, but he has exceeded all expectations. He has rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown this preseason, including a 43-yard score against the Titans.
Carter was always a favorite of mine in the Spartan backfield because he had all the tools, he just never got the blocking he deserved. He was seemingly always getting hit immediately.
Now, with some better blocking in Atlanta, Carter has found a home, and he has shown that he can hang with the big boys. He's joining one of the best backfields in the league, led by Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. This is a chance for him to push for RB2 duties with Allgeier, but realistically, he'll take any carries he can get.
Talk about a feel-good story.
Carter suffered a season-ending injury in his second season after a breakout freshman campaign, and he was on pace to do big things, but then he transferred to Michigan State for a better situation and more exposure. He then struggled behind the Spartans' mediocre line, but he had the potential. The former UConn back then went undrafted, only to earn his way onto an NFL roster after preseason ball. What a road.
Maybe we'll see some Kirk Cousins handoffs to Nate Carter when the backups are in this year.