Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter is one of the most talented prospects in the 2023 NFL draft. Carter has a rare combination of size, speed, and football IQ.
Carter did not put up spectacular numbers during his career at Georgia, but he heavily impacted the game. Teams struggled to run on Carter, who flashes serious potential as an interior pass rusher.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compares Carter to former Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.
Simmons entered the 2019 NFL draft with character concerns, but since has been a solid player for the Tennessee Titans. He has 21.0 career sacks across four seasons and just signed a four-year, $94 million deal.
Simmons is a fair comparison for Carter. Both players entered the draft with a lot of talent and potential. Their respective college coaches and teammates vouched for their character. However, NFL teams have the final say in drafting a prospect.
Lance Zierlein evaluated Carter and considers him to be one of the top players in the draft.
When assessing a player’s draft grade, we take into consideration areas like traits, toughness, explosiveness, skill level, potential for growth and positional projections. Across the board, Carter checks out in a big way. However, his maturity will need to be vetted by each team as they make their evaluations. The tape shows a defender with odd- or even-front versatility and a rare blend of first-step quickness and leverage through contact. 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.
Carter played a critical role in Georgia’s back-to-back national championship victories. He was almost always difficult for opposing teams to block in both the run and pass game.
Carter has the potential to be a special NFL player. He needs to put some of his off the field issues behind him and focus on being a great teammate. Carter’s teammates at Georgia really respected him.
