Patience pays off – it’s an adage we’ve all heard, but for Zachary Carter, it’s a mindset that has paid dividends.

Now, he has the chance to prove himself even more — Carter was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in March.

“It’s hard for a lot of guys to really understand patience and waiting your turn and keep working," Carter explained. "But, I got to grip that concept as a freshman in college, so in the moment, I was mad and things like that. But, it turned out to only help me in the long run and I think it’s going to really help me during this process.”

The defensive lineman saw limited action in his first two years at Florida. Instead of seeing it as a setback, he saw it as a setup for his future. The former Hillsborough High standout worked harder to earn more playing time.

“Countless hours, countless hours of work that a lot of people don’t even know about,” Carter said.

After an impressive campaign in his junior year, Carter had a choice: the NFL Draft or coming back to Gainesville for one more year.

“I felt like there was a lot left for me to prove, and I was able to go out there and show what I could do.”

This fall was the most productive of Carter’s career. He finished with 31 tackles and 7.5 sacks, boosting his NFL Draft stock considerably.

“I really had to push myself. I put in work with position work, defensive line work, working on my speed,” Carter said.

He’s now training for the NFL Combine with the same mentality that served him well in college.

“It’s really exciting," Carter said. "I honestly don’t think it’s kicked in yet because I’m so locked in and focused.”

“Being mentally strong and just always staying hungry. I feel like a lot of guys should have a chip on their shoulder and I feel like that’s what I developed over my time at UF and I continue to carry.”

Carter is not only working on getting his body in the best shape, but also his mind.  

“I think the biggest thing in this process is you can’t lose your head. You have to take it one day at a time and not think too far ahead, I’m just trying to take everything day by day. “

Carter knows patience is a virtue, one that has served him well.