NFF National Scholar-Athletes
The reigning Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Derek Carr is on track to own every passing record at Fresno State. With 20 school records and 13 Mountain West Conference records already under his belt, he becomes the Bulldogs’ third NFF National Scholar-Athlete.
With a 3.47 GPA, Carr earned CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District 8 honors in 2012. The Bakersfield, Calif., native has also received 2012 Academic All-Mountain West Conference and 2011 Academic All-WAC honors.
A two-year team captain, Carr was a unanimous First Team All-MWC selection in 2012, and he was Second Team All-WAC in 2011. Named an Honorable Mention All-American by Sports Illustrated, he has earned MWC Offensive Player of the Week honors four times and Manning Award Player of the Week honors five times during his junior and senior years. Already the owner of Fresno State records for career completions (884), career completion percentage (.652 through 2012) and career touchdown passes (88), Carr stands 474 yards away from the Bulldogs career record for passing yards. Having set a MWC record with 4,104 passing yards last season, he remains on pace to become Fresno State’s first quarterback with three consecutive 3,000-yard passing seasons. He has the Bulldogs off to a 7-0 start this season, and he leads the MWC with 251 completions for 2,574 yards and 25 touchdowns. His 25 touchdowns represent the second best mark in the NCAA.
An active member of the community, Carr frequently speaks on behalf of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to local high schools, middle schools and elementary schools. He visits the Children’s Hospital of Central California; reads to preschool children; and delivers food to families in need during the Feeding the Hungry food drive. He has volunteered as a football camp instructor, and he helped lift the spirits of a Fresno-area youth football team after one of their teammates was killed by a drunk driver. Carr was selected in the second round (36th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders and was named to the All-Rookie team after setting a franchise record for most single-season passing yards by a rookie (3,270).
