Jalen Carter is one of the more polarizing players in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Georgia defensive tackle is also among the most talented players in this year's class, and previous mock drafts even had him as the first defensive player taken off the board.
However, that was before his involvement in a January car accident that led to the death of two people came to light over the course of the NFL Scouting Combine back in March. Carter has since entered a no-contest plea with Athens-Clarke Country and received 12 months of probation, a fine of $1,000, 80 months of community service and a mandate to take a driving course.
While that situation has gone through the proper legal motions, there is a question of whether or not this will impact where he goes in the draft later this month. From Carter's point of view, it will.
During an episode of HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" that profiles NFL mega-agent Drew Rosenhaus (who also represents Carter), the defensive tackle's situation is highlighted. Rosenhaus and HBO's Jon Frankel visit Carter, who told the network he believes this off-field incident will play a role in when he is ultimately called on draft night.
"Yeah, I feel like it's gonna matter a little bit," Carter said, via Pro Football Talk. "Because, you know, NFL teams look deep into your life. But it could've been something I did back in elementary [school]. You know, I'm pretty sure they'd know. So you know, this coming out at the time it did come out I'm pretty sure is going to affect a little bit."
Carter added that teams did ask about it throughout the pre-draft process and said "they just wanted to hear my side and that was it."
Of course, this situation could see Carter dip a bit, but it doesn't seem like his camp is preparing for an outright free fall. Rosenhaus has decided to not have Carter make any pre-draft visits with teams that are picking outside the top 10, displaying tremendous confidence that a player who he called a "generational talent" still gets picked high despite this latest off-field issues arising.
And he could very well be correct in that assessment. In his latest mock draft, CBS Sports Senior NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson has Carter being selected by the Atlanta Falcons at No. 8 overall.
