Submitted for the approval of the Mantel society is this game-used jersey of Alex Carrington from the 2010 Senior Bowl. Carrington was a defensive lineman from Arkansas State who used his Senior Bowl invite as an opportunity to get attention from scouts prior to the NFL draft. His efforts paid off, as his performance nudged him up to the 72nd overall pick that year. He went on to play six seasons in the NFL, mostly for the Bills.
I love game-used memorabilia that tells a story or captures an interesting moment. For this reason, I knew I had to snag this jersey when I found a photo of Carrington uppercutting Tim Tebow during the game - an image that became one of Sports Illustrated’s photos of the week. In an age when NFL prospects skip high-tier bowl games to avoid injuries, it feels like ancient history to see one of the greatest college football players ever take snaps in a showcase bowl game. Tebow was battling strep throat that week - I highly doubt this haymaker aided in his recovery.
Even without documentation, it’s safe to assume that this jersey is authentic and game-worn, considering that Under Armor likely didn’t make multiple jerseys for one bowl game and nobody’s bootlegging an Alex Carrington jersey. Even so, I found a game photo that clearly demonstrates the red mark on the front #6 and the loose thread that hangs below the Under Armor logo. Conclusive evidence is always nice.
