Carter matched the impressive work-rate of Exeter lock Jenkins.
According to Opta, the Dragons forward finished the Six Nations with 50 tackles, 19 carries, crossed the gainline nine times and hit 82 rucks in attack and 24 in defence as he made up for lost time after a stop-start international career since his debut against Canada in 2021.
Last summer he got a starting chance in the first Test in Japan, only to suffer a head injury after just 27 seconds.
But Carter is now the man in possession of the jersey and will aim to keep impressing when Steve Tandy’s men take on the Barbarians, Fiji, Argentina and South Africa in June and July.
“I got more opportunities than I had in the past and I know results weren’t amazing but I enjoyed the whole camp,” said Carter, who could have more competition in the shape of fit-again Teddy Williams.
“I look forward to hopefully being involved again and being more successful because there were definitely some aspects that were really positive, even when the results weren’t there.
“Hopefully people can see the forward steps that we took and nothing feels like winning, so it was good that we got that feeling against Italy.”
Carter will also hope to record more wins in club colours as Dragons attempt to finish above Scarlets in the United Rugby Championship (URC).
That comes after Sunday’s bid for an upset in Paris against Stade Francais in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup (12:30 BST).
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