Caelen Carson

Caelen Carson (born March 3, 2002) is an American professional football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Caelen Carson

No. 21 – Dallas Cowboys
Position:	Cornerback
Personal information
Born:	(2002-03-03) March 3, 2002 (age 23) Waldorf, Maryland, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:	North Point (Waldorf, Maryland)
College:	Wake Forest (2020–2023)
NFL draft:	2024: 5th round, 174th pick
Career history
Dallas Cowboys (2024–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Total tackles: 27 Pass deflections: 4 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

Carson attended North Point High School in Waldorf, Maryland, where he was a wide receiver and a cornerback on the football team. He helped them reach the Maryland 4A state championship, while they had a 13-1 record. Carson was a first team All-Southern Maryland selection.^[1]

College recruiting information

Name	Hometown	School	Height	Weight	Commit date
Caelen Carson CB	Waldorf, MD	North Point	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	195 lb (88 kg)	Jun 5, 2019
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:
Overall recruit ranking:    Rivals: Unranked    247Sports: 1725    ESPN: Unranked
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2022 Team Ranking". Rivals.

College career

Carson played in all but one game his freshman year, and tallied up 25 tackles, a forced fumble, and one interception.^[2] He got his first interception of his career against Virginia. In 2021, he played every game up until a 58-55 loss to North Carolina, where he went down with an injury, and missed the rest of the season.^[3] He ended 2021 with 31 tackles, 2 interceptions, and a fumble recovery.^[4] 2022 was also hammered by injuries for Carson, as he injured his leg against Liberty on September 9, and didn't see the field until the Demon Deacons faced Louisville.^[5] He finished 2022 with 21 tackles, and no interceptions.^[6] He played in 11 out of 12 games in his redshirt junior year, and ended up with 42 tackles, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.^[7] After the season, he accepted an invite to the 2024 Senior Bowl.^[8] He also was invited for the NFL Combine.^[9]

College statistics

Season	Games	Tackles				Fumbles		Interceptions
		Solo	Asst.	Tot.	Sacks	FF	FR	Int.	Yds.	Avg.	TD
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
2020	8	19	6	25	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
2021	9	26	5	31	0	0	1	2	30	15.0	0
2022	8	17	4	21	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2023	11	29	13	42	0	1	1	0	0	0	0
Total	36	91	28	119	0	2	2	3	30	10.0	0

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	Vertical jump	Broad jump	Bench press
5 ft 11+7⁄8 in (1.83 m)	199 lb (90 kg)	31+3⁄8 in (0.80 m)	8+1⁄4 in (0.21 m)	4.53 s	1.54 s	2.59 s	35.5 in (0.90 m)	9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)	6 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[10][11]

Carson was selected with the 39th pick in the 5th round (174th overall) in the 2024 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys.^[12]