Eagles 2023 NFL Draft: Jalen Carter shows value of having a good agent
Nobody should be surprised that the Philadelphia Eagles chose Georgia defensive end Jalen Carter with the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. While many factors went into the Eagles’ decision to take Carter, agent Drew Rosenhaus’ work throughout the weeks preceding the draft played a massive role.
Carter was a playmaker during his stint at Georgia and he was often projected as one of the top prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, a series of off-field issues might have hurt his draft stock. First, he was sentenced for his role in a car accident in January that took the lives of a teammate and a team staffer. To make matters worse, he showed up at Georgia’s Pro Day out of shape.
For a brief moment, it looked like he was going to fall down into the second half of the first round. But agent Drew Rosenhaus quickly got to work and went on a rehabilitation tour in order to rebuild Carter’s reputation. It seems like the effort paid off as the former Bulldog went to Philly at No. 9.
Not long before the draft, Rosenhaus made an appearance on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel and guaranteed that Carter would not fall out of the top 10. Before that, the NFL superagent got in touch with Adam Schefter of ESPN to let him know that Carter wasn’t going to meet with any teams outside of the top 10.
NFL agents can charge up to three percent of a player’s salary and when you consider how much Rosenhaus helped Carter throughout the draft progress, you could make the case that it was money well spent. Rosenhaus could potentially charge a higher commission in any endorsements Carter gets in the future but that’s deserved after helping his client maximize his value in the draft.
Jalen Carter landed at a perfect spot with the Philadelphia Eagles
Rosenhaus’ work is over. Now, it’s up to Carter to make the most of his chances with an Eagles team that is coming off a Super Bowl appearance. The Apopka, Florida native will join a defensive line that is stacked with talent. He won’t be handed anything and will most likely have to earn playing time alongside veteran Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, and Josh Sweat.
At Georgia, Carter was the top player, so there might have been times when he didn’t give a full effort. He won’t be able to do that in Philly, where he will be called out if he tries to take it easy.
Carter gives the Eagles’ defensive front a much-needed boost after the departure of Javon Hargrave in free agency, so you could argue that this was a win-win situation for both Carter and the Eagles. Somewhere lurking in the shadows, Rosenhaus is patting himself on the back.