Interview: Matt Miller discusses Duron Carter's NFL workouts and his chances south of the border

It's looking more and more like Montreal Alouettes' wide receiver Duron Carter will be heading to the NFL this offseason. Carter, one of nine 2014 league all-stars who could become free agents in February, posted 1,030 receiving yards (third in the CFL) this season and added seven touchdowns (despite the team having an unsettled quarterback and offensive playcalling situation until August), and that performance has drawn significant NFL attention. Carter worked out for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers in December, and Bleacher Report's Matt Millerbroke the news Monday that the Colts, Chiefs and Vikings all plan to take a look at him as well. Carter was passed over in the 2013 NFL draft after a college career that saw him bounce around from school to school, but has since spent two productive years with the Alouettes, and that appears to have boosted his stock substantially. He can't sign with an NFL team until he hits CFL free agency in February, but this amount of workouts seems to suggest there will be teams interested when he does. I spoke with Miller via e-mail Monday afternoon to get a better sense of Carter's NFL prospects. Here are my questions and his answers.

Andrew Bucholtz: It looks like there are plenty of teams wanting to take a look at Carter. Do you think NFL teams see him as a real potential contributor or more of a camp body?

Matt Miller: From what I've gathered and from the intense workout schedule and team interest he's seen, I believe teams are looking at Duron Carter as a potential contributor. He's been able to pick-and-choose which teams he'll work out for, and many of those teams are in need of a No. 1 receiver (like Minnesota and Kansas City).

AB: How much of a role will Carter's CFL stats play in how NFL teams see him? Is his performance in the CFL less or more important than his raw physical ability?

MM: His production in the CFL definitely matters. NFL teams needed to see that Carter had matured and was ready to take on the role of being a teammate and not a star. He did that, and for two seasons he kept his head on straight and also produced the game film that he lacked as a college player. Now scouts and coaches have an idea of his ability to use his natural talent to make plays.

AB: How do you view Carter as a NFL prospect? Does he have any noticeable strengths or weaknesses?

MM: Carter is a unique player given that he's naturally one of the more gifted wide receivers available in his class (if you include him in with the 2015 draft). He's big, long, fast and has the toughness to make plays in traffic. His biggest weakness will be his past and his inability to ever stay at one school or consistently produce. The two years in Canada may cover that up, but it'll be the first question every GM asks him. You also cannot get too caught up in his CFL production given the differences in the game, but I actually put a bigger premium on CFL production than if he had caught 100 passes at an FBS school. He produced against professional athletes, and that counts for something.

AB: Is Carter getting looks based on his name and his father's success, or based on what he's done?

MM: There's a reason Joe Montana's kids aren't getting this much attention, or didn't when they were draft eligible. It definitely helps that Duron's father is Cris Carter, but if he didn't have talent, teams wouldn't be so interested in him.

AB:  Any predictions on where Carter's likely to land? How long do you think he'll stay in the NFL?

MM: I still think it's down to the Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings. I think Duron would love to play with Andrew Luck, but the allure of playing for his dad's old team in Minnesota—and the play of Teddy Bridgewater there—makes them an intriguing fit.

Thanks to Matt for his time. Check out his Bleacher Report work here, and follow him on Twitter here.