Jalen Carter (DT) / Georgia / Junior
6’3” / 310 lbs (Unofficial)
2022 Stats: 12 games, 30 tackles, 14 solo, 16 assists, 7 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles, 29 QB hits
{reference: https://georgiadogs.com/sports/football/roster/jalen-carter/6403}
Awards:
- 2022 Consensus All-America
- 2022 All-SEC First Team
- Named to multiple Awards watch list going into 2022 campaign
- Named one of Bulldog’s four co-captains in 2022
- Named PFF’s Highest Graded Power Five Defender (2022)
Measurables: (AVAILABLE POST COMBINE/PRO DAY)
Games Watched: 2022 vs. Tennessee, 2022 vs. Ohio State
PRO’S
Jalen Carter has everything an NFL team wants in a high-level interior defensive lineman – size, quickness, speed, length, athleticism, technique versatility, motor and above all, power. He is incredibly quick for a big man, and he plays with violence and urgency. 3 sacks and 29 QB hits (in 2022) is a lot of pressure on a QB from the interior of a defensive line. As much as I (and others) focus on his pass rush ability, he is also an excellent run defender – when Carter is not overpowering the OL in pass rush, he is using his quickness and fluidity to shut down run lanes. Regarding the pass rush, he can beat the OL with power or quickness. Very consistent production in ‘21 and ‘22.
CON’S
From my eyes and from what I have read about him, not too many cons to worry about with Jalen Carter. He needs to, or at least should, improve his hand placement (not consistent in that area) and play with a lower pad level more consistently for better leverage, but that is correctable with coaching, practice, and experience.
OVERALL
People drooled over Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt in the 2021 draft, rightfully so, and now an even potentially better DT comes out of the Georgia Bulldogs program in ‘22. NFL fans usually groan or are at best quiet if their team takes a DT high in the 1st round, but Carter is a legit top-5 talent in this draft class so if he goes to your team in the top-5, do some fist bumps and high-fives because your team just drafted a monster who gets to the QB (from the interior) and shuts down running lanes. Good Lord, imagine Jalen Carter playing on a DL that has two DE/EDGE studs as bookends – QBs will be running for their lives. His nickname should be “The Monster in the Middle.”
Completed by: @JoeJ_Clark, 01/05/23
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