James Carpenter
Career Summary
James Carpenter is a defensive lineman who played at James Madison and Indiana before joining Jacksonville.
He began as a walk-on at James Madison and became a regular starter before transferring to Indiana for his final college season in 2024.
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Early Life
Carpenter is from Roanoke, Virginia.
His parents are Dale and Karen Carpenter. James Madison lists a brother, Josh, and two sisters, Jesse and Jordan. He earned a bachelor's degree in sport and recreation management at JMU.
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High School
Carpenter played on both lines at Roanoke Catholic High School.
He earned first-team VISAA All-State honors on offense and defense as a junior and senior, helping his school finish 11-0 and win the 2018 Division III state championship. He also competed in basketball, lacrosse and track and field.
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College Career
Carpenter played five seasons at James Madison before transferring to Indiana.
He recorded 53 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four sacks while starting all 13 games for JMU in 2023. At Indiana, he started all 13 games in 2024 and blocked a field-goal attempt against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff.
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Path to the NFL
Carpenter joined Jacksonville as a collegiate free agent after the 2025 draft.
The Jaguars included the Indiana defensive lineman among their undrafted additions in an April 30, 2025, report on their defensive front.
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NFL Career
Carpenter spent the 2025 preseason with Jacksonville.
The Jaguars listed him among the defensive linemen waived on August 26, 2025, when the team reduced its roster to 53 players.
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Career Accomplishments
Carpenter received conference honors at both James Madison and Indiana.
He earned second-team All-Sun Belt recognition in 2022 and 2023, then honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors in 2024. He was a Burlsworth Trophy finalist in 2023 and 2024, an award recognizing players who began their college careers as walk-ons.
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31386, 00-0040325, 2001-05-31, James Carpenter, James, Carpenter
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