University of Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter is one of the most polarizing players available in the 2023 NFL Draft. Carter has been considered to be the best interior defensive lineman in the draft. The 6’3 300-pound tackle finished his final college season with 13 solo tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 3 passes defended, and 7 tackles for loss.
Unfortunately lately Carter has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. At the NFL Combine in Indianapolis Carter was supposed to speak to the media as scheduled. However, news broke that there was an active arrest warrant for Carter for misdemeanor motor vehicle charges in relation to a collision that took the life of a fellow Georgia Bulldog.
Carter again made the news during his Pro Day where he was unable to finish positional drills due to cramping. Besides failing to finish the workouts in front of a large group of NFL coaches and scouts, Carter weighed in nine pounds heavier than expected. Carter did not participate in any on-field workouts and simply took measurements and participated in team interviews.
Despite the latest drama involving Carter, the tape doesn’t lie and Carter is an extremely dominant player that could help any NFL team. If Carter can address the aforementioned issues he could be a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate in 2023.
Here are five teams that should take the risk of drafting Carter and select the Georgia phenom when their number is called on draft night next month.
Team no. 5 for Jalen Carter: Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks have been so far removed from the days of the “Legion of Boom” many current NFL fans never had the pleasure of actually watching the feared defensive unit. However, as long as Pete Carroll is the head coach of the Seahawks there is still a chance for a rebirth.
Adding Jalen Carter to the Seattle defense, which was ranked 26th overall in 2022, would bring some much-needed presence to the defensive line. Despite their low ranking, the Seahawks were in the top 8 teams in terms of sacks, with 45 total. While the Seahawks were able to generate pressure on the quarterback they were ranked in the bottom three teams in run defense.
Carter would be an instant impact player for the Seahawks and would join a defensive line that has been without a player of his caliber in the last five years. The Seahawks have the 5th pick overall and if they don’t elect to take a swing at a rookie quarterback it would be worthwhile to take chance on Carter.
Team no. 4 for Jalen Carter: Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are striking gold in some of their more recent draft selections. The Lions are in an ideal position to land either Jalen Carter or Alabama defensive end Will Anderson with the 6th pick overall. Pairing Will Anderson with defensive end Aidan Hutchinson on opposite ends would make sense. The Lions however have had noticeable issues generating pressure from the interior therefore Carter may be the ideal candidate for the Lions.
The Lions, similar to the Seahawks, did not rank terribly when it came to sacks. However, their overall defensive ranking (29th), run defensive ranking (29th), and passing defense (30th) were all at the bottom. The Lions have no issues putting points on the board but they have created necessary shootouts because they cannot create stops on the other side of the ball.
Carter can command double teams and take the pressure off of Hutchinson. Head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn need to front-load their defense in this draft. Selecting Carter with their 6th pick overall could be the piece they need to make their team a complementary force.
Team no. 3 for Jalen Carter: Las Vegas Raiders
It goes without saying but automatically there are comments made about Jalen Carter being in Las Vegas being a possible setup for disaster. This is mainly due to the issues with former first-round pick Henry Ruggs III and his arrest in Vegas due to his own driving issues resulting in a tragic fatality.
If the Raiders can give Carter the benefit of the doubt and surround him with responsible teammates this could be a match made in heaven. Carter is tough, gritty, and an absolute disruptor in the center of the field. It has been a long time since the Raiders had a defensive tackle of that caliber. Defensive end Maxx Crosby is essentially on an island on the defensive line as Chandler Jones has been not exactly as advertised. The Raiders have depth at the defensive tackle position but none of which would be as potent as Carter.
The Raiders have the 7th pick overall and could end up being just out of reach for Carter. If Carter were to fall to the Raiders it would be a no-brainer to select him. Why? The Raiders were in the bottom three in defensive rankings for sacks with 27. The Raiders spent approximately $63 million on their defensive line and had the third least amount of sacks in the NFL in 2022.
Carter could be a star in the desert if the Raiders send his name in at #7 in April. It would naïve to say Carter would have no issues or temptations in Las Vegas. The Raiders would have to take this seriously if they select Carter and have a plan in place to mentor this young man. The juice may be worth the squeeze.
Team no. 2 for Jalen Carter: Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals need Jalen Carter more than Jalen Carter needs the Cardinals. The Cardinals are on the cusp of going full rebuild after losing JJ Watt to retirement, their quarterback Kyler Murray is going to miss half the season, and they are actively shopping star receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
The Cardinals are going into the season with a new general manager and a new head coach with former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. Gannon comes from Philadelphia where he coached an elite Eagles defense that generated a league high in sacks with 70. The Cardinals have made some moves for their defensive line signing former first-round pick LJ Collier and Jonathan Ledbetter. There are still glaring holes at defensive end and the interior still has room for improvement.
Carter would be a critical piece in this puzzle in Arizona. Carter would bring his pass-rushing skills and run-stopping ability to affect all aspects of the defensive unit. The Cardinals’ defense ranked 31st overall, just missing last in the entire league. Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort cannot accept failure in this draft and needs to strike gold with all of his selections. Carter is definitely a wild card in this draft but that can be said of most picks. The Cardinals could trade down a pick or two as they sit at #3 overall and still land Carter. This is a risk they need to take to hope to stay alive in the NFC West.
Team no. 1 for Jalen Carter: Chicago Bears
The Arizona Cardinals took the #2 position as a team that needs to take the risk on drafting the dominant defensive tackle Jalen Carter. The Chicago Bears land the #1 spot as they also fell as the last ranked defensive in 2022 at #32 overall.
The Bears played the 2022 NFL season without their former defensive star Khalil Mack who went to LA and traded away Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith mid-season. The Bears hit free agency with a fury of signings after trading away their first pick overall to drop to the ninth pick overall. The Bears beefed up the defense while also adding some offensive pieces. The Bears need to get stronger on both sides of the ball and armed with 9 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft they have a chance to do so.
While the Bears signed DT Andrew Billings, an above-average run-stopping defensive tackle, more powerful playmakers are needed. Jalen Carter would be the critical piece to help rejuvenate the Bears’ defense. The Bears were last in the league in sacks with 20 and 31st in rushing defense in 2022.
Head coach Matt Eberflus is a defensive-minded coach who hasn’t had the opportunity to work with a fully capable defensive unit yet. This is his first chance to create a defense that can hopefully complement what many expect should be an explosive offense in 2023. Jalen Carter would be a valuable addition in Chicago undoubtedly creating explosive plays and making things easier on the backend for the linebackers and secondary.
The Bears have a significant offseason ahead of them but the off-field risks aside, not drafting Carter would be a mistake the Bears cannot afford to make.