APRIL 13: Carter’s floor may be settling in at No. 9. The Bears are unlikely to let the higher-risk prospect fall past them in Round 1, Matt Miller of ESPN.com notes. The Bears are believed to value the two-time national champion defender highly, and they are prepared to bolster their defensive line in this draft.
APRIL 11: Beyond this year’s lot of first-round-caliber quarterbacks, Jalen Carter has been the highest-profile player during the pre-draft process. The Georgia defensive tackle might be the most talented non-QB available, but off-field red flags have affected his perception.
Carter will not face jail time in connection with the misdemeanor charges he faced after two members of Georgia’s football program, offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler Lecroy, died in car accident. A police investigation revealed Carter and Lecroy were “operating in a manner consistent with racing” that morning in January. A March plea deal led to Carter receiving a $1K fine and community service, but multiple teams are believed to have taken the standout interior D-lineman off their draft boards due to character concerns.
Carter, who also did not perform well at his pro day, should still not be expected to endure a Laremy Tunsil-like fall in Round 1. The high-end talent remains likely to go off the board in the top 10, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler and Matt Miller. Execs around the league believe a team will invest in Carter early, and Fowler adds Eagles buzz has emerged.
The Eagles, who took Georgia nose tackle Jordan Davis 13th overall last year, hold the No. 10 overall pick by virtue of their pre-draft trade with the Saints in 2022. GM Howie Roseman‘s penchant for building up Philadelphia’s lines has come up regarding Carter, as has Philly’s collection of veterans — including the recently re-signed Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox — that could potentially help the suddenly riskier prospect assimilate. The Eagles lost Javon Hargrave to the 49ers in free agency as well; Cox is on another one-year contract and going into his age-33 season.
Philly’s potential as the Carter floor aside, Miller notes his survey among NFL staffers led to a conclusion either the Seahawks (at No. 5) or Bears (No. 9) will be the landing spot. Seattle both drafted Frank Clark in the 2015 second round, despite a domestic violence arrest leading to his dismissal from the Michigan program, and acquired Sheldon Richardson via trade in 2017 — two years after the defensive tackle was pulled over for driving 143mph with a firearm in his vehicle. The Seahawks have a significant investment at D-tackle this offseason, giving Dre’Mont Jones a three-year deal worth $51MM, and reached an agreement to bring back Jarran Reed. Seattle, which has been linked to QBs as well, would certainly show a tremendous commitment to its defensive interior with a Carter selection. Mel Kiper Jr.’s most recent mock draft sends Carter to Seattle — as the first non-QB taken.
Chicago has added both DeMarcus Walker and Rasheem Green, but both additions qualify as moves for supporting-casters rather than surefire impact presences. The Bears are looking to add up front in the draft — likely both on the edge and inside — and they joined the Eagles in hosting Carter recently.
Carter is not planning to meet with teams outside the top 10, though teams holding non-top-10 choices — draft real estate previously believed to be unrealistic to land Carter — began digging into the former Bulldogs interior anchor. He has met with the Seahawks, Lions, Raiders, Bears and Eagles thus far; each team holds a pick between Nos. 5 and 10. While this draft houses a few notable edge defenders, a notable gap exists between Carter and his D-tackle prospect peers. That stands to strengthen his position inside the top 10.
Man, this just seems like a pick someone is going to eventually regret. I get he’s too talented for a GM not to want to take a chance at some point. Top ten though?! That’s a lot of money and a big commitment to a player that hasn’t shown much to deserve it.
The question isn’t his abilities on the field. He’s definitely shown enough to be considered a top 10 pick even top 5 or 3.
It’s his off the field stuff that is affecting his value. And it’s not really a lot of money these days esp since there’s the rookie scale in place. Last year walker got 4 years 37 mill. So 4 years 40 mill isn’t all that much these days esp with salary cap going up. He won’t get 4 years 40 but in the neighborhood if he goes top 10.
But whatever team drafts him probably adds behavior language conduct language in his contract to ensure they’re not getting hosed if he continues to do dumb stuff and can recoup money if he does.
We’ve heard similar things about players before- Jeffrey Simmons comes to mind. Idk if people remember the video of him assaulting someone but he still went 1st round.
Hubcap touched on it below, but it’s not just the off-field stuff. The off-field stuff is really bad on its own. You’d think the guy would show up in shape for the combine though, but he turned in a poor performance.
You’re a hundred percent right, the talent on the field speaks for itself. Is he going to have the maturity to maximize it though in the NFL? I have serious doubts. And any team that drafts him over another player that could help them is taking a serious risk. It’s not just the money, either. I hate to phrase this like it’s an achievement, but a franchise lost for an entire year to be rewarded with that early pick. You whiff on it, that makes it a completely lost season and sets you back.
At this point I no longer care who drafts him as long as it isn’t Chicago.
It’s Poles’ first, first round pick as GM but risk and all, if he’s still there, I think he’ll take him.
He won’t last past the Lions at # 6
I REALLY hope you’re wrong and they pass on him. He may be a physical beast, but the Lions are building something and don’t want to see a bad attitude disrupt that.
Never thought he’d fall out of the top 10.
They drag this kid’s name through the mud, causing the public to think he was actually the one who killed two people. Never one mention of Chandler LeCroy, the young blonde, who was drunk driving, who actually killed the two people in her car.
NFL scouts care more that he showed up at pro day showing his lack of commitment. Fat and lazy will only get worse once you’re making millions.
I said that about Jamarcus Russell. An interior lineman can get away with a certain amount of fat. When your 22 y.o. QB shows up 40 pounds overweight, how can it not set off every alarm bell you have.
Character issues aside, I’d be concerned about poor conditioning at the combine. If you don’t want it bad enough to stay in shape for a little while…
“I can gain 9 pounds in one sitting eating pizza” – Jon Jensen
Word has it that LeCroy’s draft stock has plummeted…
The NFL is about talent and the “integrity” of the game. They don’t care about character or a player’s past. You can sack out with “recruiting coordinators”, leave your teammates to die in drag racing crashes, molest masseuses, fake injuries, or dog it on the field if you feel your contract isn’t big enough. But just be sure you aren’t caught betting on the outcome of a game!
We could probably spend hours here listing examples of NFL hypocrisy but young people making poor decisions is a fact of life and probably always will be. I believe everyone deserves a second chance but coddling someone with multiple chances as Goodell did with Josh Gordon is just absurd.
Just needs to go to the Lance Briggs school of driving and all will be fine
The whole racing incident worries me, but doesn’t take him off my board. Him being 9 pounds heavier and not finishing the drills only 2 weeks after the combine is what irks me. You’d think that he’d be very focused on conditioning and his numbers at his pro day. He needs to be dedicated to his future, but this doesn’t demonstrate that quality.
Hard pass. Off field issue, which was major. Combine performance, not top 10.
This is the biggest moment in his career to not screw up, and here it’s one thing after another.
My head says no-no-no. My heart can easily seem him lining up between Jones and Crosby and creating havoc.
At some earlier point, his risk is too high to draft. But at the same time, past a later point, the talent makes that risk worthwhile.
Again, if I were the Raiders, I’d trade back. If he were available in the early teens, I’d have to draft him.
He won’t get past Philly at 10.
Anti-combine people when something happens at the combine:
Agreed. The Steelers have been burned in the recent past but if someone could get into his head and if he can return to the player he was at UGA, he would solve so many problems
But so many “ifs” for that high of a pick
I just can’t see him getting past Seattle at #5
The Bears need an OT more than a DT at this point. There are other safer DT picks later in the draft. Then they have 2 1sts next year. there is no need to gamble when this is more than a 1 year rebuild. I don’t want to hear this at all. They have nine more picks. I’m tired of the lame 1st round picks of the last 20 years. Time to hit on one. If this is the guy they pick I hope they trade down again.
Have you seen our DTs? No? That’s right because we barely have any. Our Oline actually performed pretty well in run blocking last year. Pass blocking was an issue, but they were much better towards the end of the year. Our Dline needs so much or the offense will always be playing catch up and our secondary will be left trying to cover people for far too long.
That said, I don’t know if Carter is the right pick or not. I lean no, but it’s also a generational talent and amazing pick if he works out.
Have you? The had Jones already here and he is at least serviceable. They added Walker and Billings who are 1 run stopper( Billings) and 1 Pass rusher(Walker). They have Gipson, Robinson and the newly signed Green to work with at End. There are probably better Edge players in the 2nd round where OT will be picked clean by then. The smart play is draft an OT and even you said Carter is an if. I agree. I’m tired of the Bears picking IF’s.