Getty Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter had his top 30 visit with the Chicago Bears on Monday, April 3.
Jalen Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is sending a clear message to NFL teams on the day of his visit with the Chicago Bears: Carter is a top 10 selection.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bears hosted Carter — a candidate for them to draft with the No. 9 overall pick — for a top 30 visit in Chicago on Monday, April 3, the next step in their due diligence process for the controversial defensive tackle prospect.
Carter’s visit comes as no surprise, as general manager Ryan Poles said back in March that they planned to bring him in, but what is a little surprising is the hard line in the sand that Rosenhaus is apparently drawing when it comes to his high-profile client.
“Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said he is declining visit requests [from] any team drafting outside the top 10 picks,” Schefter tweeted on April 3. He also included a direct quote from Rosenhaus about Carter that read: “‘I’m confident Jalen will go in the top 10. He’s a good person, a family man, loves football and is a generational talent.'”
Jalen Carter Remains Top-Tier Defensive Prospect
Carter had been considered a top-five pick and one of the top two defensive prospects in the 2023 class prior to his March arrest in connection with an investigation into a fatal crash that occurred in January in the state of Georgia. Kim Stephens, Carter’s attorney, has since told NFL.com that he has pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing and was sentenced to 12 months of probation, pay a $1,000 fine and complete 80 hours of community service along with a state-approved driving class, but it doesn’t erase all of the damage done to his NFL draft stock.
Despite Carter’s legal situation creating some questions about his character, though, the on-field qualities that once had him in the conversation to be drafted No. 1 overall have not disappeared. Carter is very much still the disruptive force he was during his three seasons on Bulldogs’ defensive line and has displayed all the physical traits of someone who is ready to make the leap to the NFL and become a centerpiece for a pro unit.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach did note that Carter showed up “nine pounds heavier” to his pro day and had his drills cut short because he was “cramping and breathing heavily.” But if teams feel there is no pattern of slacking off in their pre-draft assessment of Carter, it seems fair to cut him some slack considering his legal issues arose just weeks earlier during one of the most important scouting events of his life (the NFL Combine).
For the Bears, the top 30 visit will be an important step in them figuring out, in their view, what type of a person Carter is and whether he will fit into the culture that Poles and Eberflus have been building since they were hired in early 2022. It doesn’t matter what analysts or fans think about the publicly-available facts of Carter’s personal life, only what Poles and his staff think about him. And if the visit confirms he is who they thought he was before the Combine, then he should absolutely be in play at No. 9.
Bears’ Top 30 Visits Concentrated on DL, OL & WR
Carter isn’t the only potential rookie option the Bears have scouted for their still-unfilled 3-technique role. They have also hosted a top 30 visit with Northwestern defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore, who can play both on the inside and outside of a defensive line but has the length and athleticism to be suited for the 3-tech role in a defensive system like Eberflus’. He would likely not be a prospect in consideration for the Bears with the ninth overall pick, but he would be an ideal selection if he were still available at their next pick at No. 53 overall — or sooner, if they trade up to get him.
Here’s a complete list of the Bears’ reported top 30 visits with 2023 prospects:
Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern: (Per Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network)
Deslin Alexandre, DL, Pittsburgh: (Per Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network)
Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia: (Per Ryan Poles in his March 16 press conference)
Ricky Stromberg, OC, Arkansas: (Per Bleav Network)
Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland: (Per Justin Melo of The Draft Network)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State: (Per Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors)
Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State: (Per Bears insider Daniel Greenberg)
Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Virginia: (Per Jacquie Franciulli of 247 Sports)