Seahawks Final Mock Draft: Pete Carroll 'Comfortable' with Jalen Carter?

Who will the Seattle Seahawks pick at No. 5?

With two first-round picks, the Seattle Seahawks enter the 2023 NFL Draft in a luxurious situation but have at least one looming question.

Take a quarterback high, or ...

If Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter is available at No. 5 ... Seattle must decide if the numerous red flags are worth adding one of the most physically-talented players in this draft class.

In Sports Illustrated's final mock draft before the chimes go off tonight, the Seahawks add Carter. 

I’ve heard Pete Carroll really likes the idea of adding the game-wrecking Carter to his defensive line and is comfortable, after meeting with him, that he can make it work with a guy who’s been taken off the draft board by other teams. The question would then become whether GM John Schneider will be comfortable with it, after striking out on Malik McDowell, who had some off-field concerns, a few years ago. If they don’t take Carter, Wilson and Anderson are names that have come up in connection to Seattle in my conversations, as has Richardson.

The character concerns about Carter are due in part to a January car-racing incident which resulted in a crash that left a Georgia Bulldogs teammate and  staffer dead.

Carter entered no contest plea to the charges on March 16. According to attorney Kim T. Stephens, Carter was sentenced to serve 12 months of probation, pay a $1,000 fine, perform 80 hours of community service and complete a state-approved defensive driving course.

It has been speculated that some of his recent problems are "psychological'' in nature due to the fatal crash.

Carter was a consensus top-five pick earlier this offseason and he could become a valuable contributor to this new-look Seahawks defense. Carter was a key part of Georgia’s stout defense that allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (77) in 2022. In the Bulldogs’ back-to-back championship run, Carter finished with 69 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and two forced fumbles. 

Seattle has already made several moves to shore up the defensive front, including bringing veteran All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner back home. However, the Seahawks must continue to improve a defense that ranked 26th overall and third-worst on run defense in 2022.

With Carter, the risk is there ... as is the potential reward.

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