Falcon Report

Falcons to Pass on Georgia DT Jalen Carter in NFL Draft?

Georgia Bulldogs defensive tackle Jalen Carter was at the center of the NFL Combine's biggest controversy. But is it enough to knock him outside of the top 10 picks in this year's NFL Draft?

Jeremy Brener

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With the NFL Combine in the rearview mirror, focus is beginning to shift more towards the draft.

The biggest story to emerge from the draft came from Georgia Bulldogs defensive tackle and projected top pick Jalen Carter, who was issued an arrest warrant for his role in the death of a teammate and team staffer back in January.

The scandal surrounding Carter could affect his draft stock, and The Athletic is reporting that he could fall outside of the top 10.

The Atlanta Falcons, who are slated to select No. 8 overall, need a defensive tackle to pair next to Grady Jarrett. Carter, a two-time National Champion and possibly the best prospect in the draft, would be a perfect fit.

But has his stock taken that big of a hit?

While some teams may be hesitant to take Carter, it's hard to see him fall past the Falcons.

"For what it’s worth, I spoke to multiple people in Indianapolis close to teams in the top 10 who gave me the understanding that if a guy like Jalen Carter is available at 8 (barring any new developments of the situation at hand) that the #Falcons would definitely take him," FOX 5's Miles Garrett tweeted in response to The Athletic's article.

It wouldn't be a surprise if the fallout from these events did hurt Carter's stock, but some team in the top 10, based on the facts that we know now, will select him on April 27.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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