Eagles Select Jalen Carter With No. 9 Pick in 2023 NFL Draft

After a tumultuous offseason, the former Georgia star is headed to Philadelphia.

Following a tumultuous offseason and pre-draft process, former Georgia standout Jalen Carter has a new football home: Philadelphia.

The Eagles selected Carter, a defensive tackle, with the No. 9 pick, ending the brief slide of one of the most talented players in this year’s draft class.

Philadelphia traded with Chicago to move up one spot to select Carter, giving the Bears the No. 10 pick and a fourth-rounder in the deal.

Standing at 6’ 3” and weighing 314 pounds, Carter boasted the physical traits and sensational collegiate career that led many to believe he could be the No. 1 pick in the draft earlier this year. In 2022, he appeared in 13 games for Georgia, recording 32 tackles, three sacks, seven tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.

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However, troubles off the field—as well as the need for a quarterback among teams drafting in the top four—seemingly led the 22-year-old to fall out of the conversation for the top pick. 

On March 1, Carter was arrested and charged with misdemeanor reckless driving and racing in connection to a Jan. 15 crash that resulted in the deaths of Georgia teammate Devin Willock and team staffer Chandler LeCroy. Carter, who was present at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis when the Athens-Clarke County Police Department issued a warrant for his arrest, returned to Georgia and turned himself in later that same day.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that at the beginning of the investigation into the crash, Carter told police he was nearly a mile away when the crash occurred. However, he later said he was close enough to see the taillights on the car that LeCroy was driving and acknowledged he was alongside the other car. 

Got another DAWG

Welcome to Philly, @breadmanjalen !#NFLDraft | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/RoNWypu55T

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) April 28, 2023

Police said LeCroy’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.197 at the time of the incident, and investigators determined “that alcohol impairment, racing, reckless driving and speed were significant contributing factors to the crash.”

Carter, who was not found to be under the influence of any alcohol or drugs at the time of the Jan. 15 crash, entered a plea deal with Athens-Clarke County solicitors that allowed him to avoid jail time for his connection to the fatal incident. He pleaded no contest to his charges and received 12 months probation, a $1,000 fine, 80 hours of community service and the completion of a driving course.