Will Georgia’s Jalen Carter Still Be a Top N.F.L. Draft Pick?
During the past two seasons at the University of Georgia, Jalen Carter established himself as the most disruptive player on college football’s best defense, and in January when the 6-foot-3, 300-plus pound defensive lineman propelled the Bulldogs to a second straight national championship, Carter had positioned himself as a likely top-five pick in N.F.L. draft.
But that changed on March 1 at the N.F.L. scouting combine when Carter was booked on two misdemeanor charges in connection with a car crash that took place hours after the team’s championship parade in January and killed two people, including a Georgia teammate of Carter’s.
For two weeks, Carter’s future in the N.F.L. appeared to be in jeopardy as teams waited to learn whether he would face jail time. On March 16, he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. He was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, perform 80 hours of community service and complete a state-approved defensive driving course.
Since then, Carter, 22, has not done much to allay the concerns that teams now have about him. He drew criticism when he and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, decided not to take pre-draft visits with teams picking outside the top 10. He struggled in showcasing his skills to N.F.L. scouts and has gone from a surefire top pick to one of the most inscrutable prospects in this year’s draft, which will begin in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday.
Source: The New York Times
