Carter shines at Syracuse pro day

Syracuse strength and conditioning coach Will Hicks praised running back Delone Carter, the Copley High School product, for his performance at the Orange's pro day Wednesday.

"Delone did exceptionally well today," Hicks said on the university's web site. "He upped his numbers (from the combine) and did well in the position work.''

According to the web site, representatives from 26 NFL teams watched 16 Syracuse players for more than two hours at Manley Field House.

"We were much more comfortable here in our facility," Carter said on the web site. "To have a chance to be around Coach Hicks and have him get in your head and relax you just builds confidence. Going through Syracuse University we are always taught to work hard and always work to improve and it's paying off."

At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last month, Carter's best performances came in the 20-yard shuttle (4.07 seconds) and the bench press (27 repetitions of 225 pounds), good enough for fourth among running backs.

He also took sixth in the broad jump (10 feet), seventh in the vertical jump (37 inches), 10th in the 3-cone (6.92 seconds) and 11th in the 40-yard dash (4.56). The only category in which Ohio's 2005 Mr. Football wasn't listed among the leaders on NFL.com was the 60-yard shuttle.

On a video on the university web site, Carter said the combine ''went very well. I did what I expected to do and a little bit better and it seemed like the coaches were pleased.'' As for his goal at pro day, he said, "Just improve on what I did at Indy and show these coaches I'm willing to learn and take criticism and get better.''

No pro day results were immediately available.

Carter is projected as a mid-round pick in the April 28-30 draft.

As for what's next, Carter said on the video, "Only God knows. Just stayed prayered-up and got to wait it out.''