Boasting record-breaking high school stats and a massive 6-6 frame, this four-star edge rusher is already challenging veterans to become the Big 12's next premier pass-rushing threat.
Carter Buck enters his first season at TCU with the kind of physical tools that could make him one of the more intriguing young players on the Horned Frogs’ roster.
The freshman edge rusher was identified as one of the Big 12’s freshmen to watch entering the 2026 season by CBS Sports, putting him among a group of first-year players expected to have an opportunity to make an impact right away.
"Buck and Jesse Ford were TCU's two four-star headliners in the 2026 class, but Buck arrived in Fort Worth looking like one of the most physically impressive pass rushers on the roster," Brad Crawford writes. "He's Sonny Dykes' highest-ranked signee in the class and has already begun pushing veteran players along the defensive front."
Buck was one of the headliners of TCU’s 2026 recruiting class, earning four-star status during the recruiting process. The Lake Travis product also finished as the No. 4 defensive end in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football rankings for the 2026 class. He signed with the Horned Frogs after receiving offers from several programs, including Arizona, Kansas, North Texas, Tulsa, and UNLV.
The 6-6, 255-pound pass rusher brings impressive size to the edge, but his production in high school is what makes his potential particularly intriguing. During his career at Lake Travis, he recorded 191 tackles, 52 tackles for loss and 26.5 sacks. He also established the school’s single-season records for sacks and tackles for loss while setting the program’s career sack record.
That production has translated into high expectations as Buck makes the jump to college football.
Buck will still have to earn his role. TCU has several experienced options on the defensive line, while transfers Koron Hayward and Cheta Ofili are among the players competing for opportunities at edge. That competition could ultimately benefit the Horned Frogs by giving the coaching staff another young player capable of providing pressure off the edge.
TCU does not necessarily need Buck to become a full-time starter immediately. However, if he can translate his physicality and production from Lake Travis to the college level, he could quickly become a valuable part of the defensive rotation.
