HOF Rivalry? Eagles' Jalen Carter Ranks NFC East Counterparts

Philadelphia Eagles rookie Jalen Carter was in a sweat as he tried to rank himself amongst rival defensive tackles Dexter Lawrence of the New York Giants and Daron Payne of the Washington Commanders.

APOPKA, Fla. - As the offseason for Philadelphia Eagles rookie defensive tackle Jalen Carter came to a close, SI.com's Eagles Today asked him to reveal how he ranks himself against Pro Bowl defenders Dexter Lawrence of the New York Giants and the Washington Commanders’ Daron Payne.

When asked where he’d rank himself amongst defensive tackles Dexter Lawrence and Daron Payne, his division rivals, Carter was in awe, but only for a moment …

“They’re Hall of Famers,” Carter said. 

He said this before listing Lawrence first, Payne second, and himself third, reiterating that he had to put himself last because they’re Hall of Famers.

Questioning how he could possibly be so complimentary toward rivals, it became apparent that Florida’s summer heat had him in a daze.

Suddenly, he snapped out of it. 

“Hold up … I might be confused. It’s hot," he said. "Am I thinking of somebody else? Ain’t there a Hall of Famer Named Dexter Lawrence?"

Then it registered. 

“I was thinking of Lawrence Taylor. Change my list; I’m No. 1,” Carter said, shaking his head and laughing about the mix-up.

Although Lawrence and Payne haven’t been enshrined into the NFL Hall of Fame just yet, both 25-year-olds are coming off of their best seasons, with both making Pro Bowls and Lawrence receiving second-team All-Pro honors. 

Last year, Payne had over 10 sacks for the first time in his professional career, a feat that Carter has put on his list of things he must do with the Eagles.

“Philly had like 70-plus sacks last year,” Carter said. “We’re going for that again. I’m gonna try to get as many sacks as I can.”

Whether the Eagles’ No. 9 overall pick asserts himself as the top defensive tackle in the NFC East as a rookie remains to be seen, but it’s certainly in the cards for the former Georgia Bulldog.

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