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The Seattle Seahawks could face a difficult decision at No. 5 if former Georgia standout defensive lineman Jalen Carter is still available. Carter was once projected as a favorite to be the No. 1 pick but a rocky pre-draft process has the star sliding down team’s draft boards. NBC Sports’ Peter King labels Seattle as the one franchise potentially stopping Carter from falling outside the top-10 picks.
“I think I won’t be surprised, unless Seattle takes him at five, if Jalen Carter drops out of the top 10,” King wrote on March 27, 2023. “I view Seattle as a team that isn’t as scared off by players with character concerns as some other teams are.”
Why has Carter gone from being labeled the top prospect to now emerging as one of the most polarizing players in the draft? Two key reasons starting with Carter being investigated for his potential role in a January 15 car wreck that cost Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and athletics staffer Chandler LeCroy their lives.
Most recently, Carter underwhelmed at Georgia’s pro day arriving nine pounds heavier than his weight at the NFL combine and was unable to finish position drills while appearing out of shape, per ESPN’s Mark Schlabach.
“Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter was nine pounds heavier than he was at the NFL combine about two weeks ago and couldn’t finish his position drills at Georgia’s pro day on Wednesday,” Schlabach detailed on March 15.
“Carter, who was once considered a potential No. 1 pick in April’s draft, weighed 323 pounds at the pro day. He opted to do only position drills and didn’t participate in other aspects of the workout, including the 40-yard dash, cone drills and other physical tests. Carter didn’t finish the position drills because he was cramping up and breathing heavily.”
The Seahawks Have Shown a Willingness to Take a Big Swing on High Upside Players Like Jalen Carter
The Seahawks have not been shy about taking a chance on high-upside players during the Pete Carroll-Pete Schneider era. At times, this philosophy has backfired (see moves like the Percy Harvin trade), but at other times Carroll has helped players jumpstart their careers. It remains to be seen how Seattle views Carter as an option at No. 5 given it is the team’s first pick inside the top five during Carroll and Schneider’s tenure.
Carter notched 69 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and two forced fumbles during Georgia’s back-to-back championship run the last two seasons. Beyond the stats, Carter was one of the most imposing figures in college football in the middle of the Bulldogs defensive line, one of the Seahawks’ biggest weakness in 2022. According to King, Carter has so much talent that teams are considering overlooking the recent concerns because his production outweighs the risk.
“I asked the coach of a team outside the top 10 who is very interested in Carter and has researched him,” King added. “The issue with Carter’s alleged involvement in speeding in connection with the accident that killed two people from the Georgia program is worrying, he said, and his team is still looking into that.
“’There are concerns there,’ this coach said, ‘and I don’t know where we’ll end up on that. But as far as football goes, I don’t view the concerns there that would prevent us from drafting him. I’ve heard about him not practicing hard. I understand, and that could be an issue. But he’s such a freak of nature.’ The point: talent shrinks big issues.”
Jalen Carter Is Drawing Comparisons to 2-Time Pro Bowler Jeffrey Simmons
King is not alone pointing to the Seahawks’ perceived interest in Carter at No. 5. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah projected Seattle would take Carter in his latest mock draft. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared Carter to Titans two-time Pro Bowler Jeffrey Simmons.
“The tape shows a defender with odd- or even-front versatility and a rare blend of first-step quickness and leverage through contact,” Zierlein detailed in his pre-draft profile of Carter. “He’s capable of finding quick wins against sloppy guard play and finishes the play once he’s in the backfield.
“His hand usage can be violent or subtle, but the feet are always active and searching for an opening. Based upon talent, traits and projection, Carter appears ready to step into the NFL and become a productive three-down talent with Pro Bowl potential.”
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