"Being a sixth-round draft pick who did not earn a college starting spot until his senior season and tagged as a "project" did more than motivate David Carter.

It made him mad.

Carter says he joined the Cardinals with a chip on his shoulder, eager to prove himself, and the 6-foot-5, 300-pound nose tackle has been the surprise of the preseason. He is expected to fill a real need as the backup for Dan Williams, and he also played defensive end during the final preseason game.

"David Carter has done a very good job," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "He's one of the young guys I'm really excited about.

"I think he's earned the respect of his teammates, and that's not always easy to do as a rookie, just from his work ethic and how he tries to make sure he does it right."

Whisenhunt said having conscientious young players goes a long way toward building a team the right way, and he called Carter "a very nice surprise," adding that he's looking forward to watching Carter develop at nose tackle."