Falcons Have 'Hesitancy' Drafting Georgia DL Jalen Carter

The Atlanta Falcons reportedly have drawbacks with Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.

It's officially decision day for the Atlanta Falcons, owners of the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

There are several avenues the Falcons could go, be it offensive or defensive line, cornerback or Texas running back Bijan Robinson.

But according to Pro Football Network, one player not expected to be in the mix is Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter.

"There’s a lot of hesitancy by the Falcons to select him at No. 8 overall, as they feel keeping Carter in his element (Athens is about an hour’s drive to Atlanta) doesn’t benefit anyone," PFN writes.

PFN cited additional "hesitancy" around giving Carter a contract that "guarantees millions of dollars" after a difficult pre-draft process that included two misdemeanor charges and a pro day performance in which he showed up nine pounds heavier than he did at the NFL Combine just weeks earlier.

Carter, who turns 22 Tuesday, collected 18 and a half tackles for loss and six sacks across three seasons with the Bulldogs, consistently wreaking havoc in the backfield while playing on a star-defended defensive line.

This past year, Carter was named a first-team All-American by several outlets after logging seven tackles for loss and three sacks in 13 games.

But the questions surrounding Carter aren't about his on-field ability, instead focusing on determining who, exactly, he is as a person.

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has placed a strong emphasis on evaluating character, which he recently spoke at length about.

"I think it comes down to none of us are perfect," Fontenot said. "We're all flawed human beings, but do we love football? Are we passionate about what we do? And off the field, whether we've made mistakes - are we self-aware and are we constantly trying to improve?"

Atlanta had a top-30 visit with Carter last Tuesday, one of the final boxes of the evaluation process ... and at least in PFN's eyes, walked away with hesitancy surrounding the idea of drafting the talented Bulldog in the first round.

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You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

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