With the ninth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
Carter has an extremely impressive blend of quickness, power, and change of direction, which is why he was regarded by some as the most talented prospect in this draft.
Georgia had three defensive linemen get drafted in the first round of the 2022 draft — Travon Walker (first overall), Jordan Davis (13th overall), and Devonte Wyatt (28th overall) — and many believe that Carter was the best player on that defense. However, his stock took several hits over the past few months, which is why he was available at pick No. 9.
• Late in December, ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay said on the air that Carter had some character concerns, as transcribed by USA Today:
"With Carter, there are some character issues. Does he get along with everybody. What’s he like to deal with in the locker room, those sorts of issues. I know it’s early in the process, but I’m forewarning everybody out there. Carter is going to be a hot-button name when we talk about some of the intangible aspects of it...
“That will be the big discussion. It’s not about his talent, his size or his explosive take off or finishing as a pass rusher, it’s about the character and do we want to bring that guy into the building.”
• In January, Carter was at the scene of a crash in which teammate Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy were killed. He misled prosecutors about his whereabouts when the incident occurred, and later left the NFL Combine to go back to Georgia, where he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. He received a year of probation, plus a small fine and community service. A longer summary of the situation can be found here.
• In March, he had an ugly performance at Georgia's pro day during which he came in about 10 pounds heavier than expected, and he looked gassed running through drills, shown here:
Every player drafted in the top 10 has talent. The busts tend to lack the mental makeup to succeed in the NFL. The possibility of getting the most gifted prospect in the draft at pick No. 9 is highly intriguing, but not exactly a slam dunk. The Eagles likely believe that they have a strong enough veteran locker room culture that can help Carter maximize his potential.
We'll update with the trade details when they become available.
Update: It only cost a fourth-round pick in 2024.
Follow Jimmy & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @JimmyKempski | @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
Add Jimmy's RSS feed to your feed reader