Seahawks Draft Profile: Is Red Flag-Ridden Jalen Carter Worth Risk at No. 5 Overall?

One of the most talented defensive tackles to enter the draft in years, Jalen Carter has been in the news for the wrong reasons in recent months. Is he still worth the risk for the Seattle Seahawks to draft early?

With the 2023 NFL Draft set to kick off in Kansas City on Thursday, April 27, the Seahawks will have a chance to take another big step forward following a surprise playoff berth with four picks in the first 52 selections, including a top-five pick for the first time since 2009.

Over the next month leading up to draft weekend, the AllSeahawks writing staff will dish out in-depth profiles on numerous prospects who could be targets on Seattle's big board as the franchise aims to open a window for Super Bowl contention.

Launching the scouting series, the Seahawks have completely retooled their defensive line thus far this offseason and after releasing the trio of Al Woods, Quinton Jefferson, and Shelby Harris, they desperately need star power at defensive tackle. Despite a rough pre-draft process, could Jalen Carter still be that answer with the fifth overall selection?

Background

Starring as a multi-sport phenom at Apopka High School in Florida, Carter joined the Bulldogs as one of the top recruits in the country and quickly found his way into the rotation on one of the nation's most talented defensive lines. After playing in 10 games as a true freshman, he emerged as a Second-Team All-SEC selection rotating behind future NFL defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt as Georgia captured a national championship. Though knee and ankle injuries slowed him down to an extent as a junior and limited his workload in 2022, Carter still earned First-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC distinction after posting 32 tackles, 3.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and three swatted passes at the front of a fearsome defense.

Off the field, Carter had to leave Indianapolis midway through the NFL Scouting Combine after being charged with two misdemeanors for illegal racing and reckless driving resulting from a January accident that led to the death of a former teammate and Georgia staffer. He recently pled no contest, receiving a year of probation and 80 hours of community service.

Strengths

A tantalizing talent oozing with traits, the 6'3, 314-pound Carter possesses an elite first step and rare burst for a player of his size, often rocketing past guards and tackles while uncorking powerful rip and arm over moves to quickly slip into the backfield to hunt down quarterbacks and ball carriers. Over the course of his three-year college career, he produced a respectable 10 percent pressure rate on 525 pass rush snaps and 18.5 tackles for loss on only 272 run defense snaps.

Jalen Carter's first step... at 310+ pounds... that's rare burst coupled with the rip move to quickly destroy pocket and get to Rogers for the sack. pic.twitter.com/LeckOIev3g

— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) April 4, 2023

Capable of delivering brutal blows with his hands at the point of attack as well as winning with finesse, Carter has proven to be equally adept at penetrating one-gapping and read-and-react two-gapping techniques. Using a powerful lower body to his advantage, he consistently wins the leverage battle and plays with his hands and feet in rhythm while keeping eyes in the backfield, allowing him to discard blocks with ease and make stops at the line of scrimmage on the regular.

Though Carter's conditioning has rightfully been called into question after failing to finish his recent pro day workout, his effort between the lines doesn't match that narrative. When on the field, he exhibits a relentless motor that always runs hot, frequently chasing down runs outside of the tackle box and pursuing quarterbacks when they bail the pocket.

This is why Jalen Carter was viewed as a consensus top three pick before tough pre-draft. The ability to play all over the line and be an effective pass rusher makes him a truly scheme flexible talent. pic.twitter.com/XuriP5Wypl

— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) April 4, 2023

A truly scheme independent talent, Carter has the athleticism and size to line up all over the line of scrimmage and wreak havoc in even or odd fronts. Georgia deployed him primarily as a 3-tech/4i-tech defensive tackle, but he also played nearly 100 snaps reduced inside shading the A-gap as a nose tackle and 144 snaps in 5-tech over the opposing tackle, showcasing his immense positional flexibility that should serve him quite well at the next level regardless of landing spot.

Weaknesses

When it comes to Carter's flaws, critics immediately point to conditioning-related issues, particularly late in games against top competition. While still playing hard, he was running on fumes throughout the second half of Georgia's playoff win over Ohio State and rendered ineffective by his standards after playing well in the first two quarters. Though depth around him was also a clear factor, he never played more than 400 snaps in any of his three college seasons.

If Carter has a clear room for improvement in his game, he could stand to add a few good pounds of muscle to his frame to withstand battles against powerful NFL guards. While he physically outmatched most of his opponents in the SEC, he had more noticeable trouble getting off of blocks and winning off the snap against Florida standout guard O'Cyrus Torrence, finishing with a quiet stat line of one tackle and no quarterback hits in that contest.

Even before Carter's arrest in early March, questions about his maturity and pro readiness had already come to the surface. Any team interested in adding him to the fold will have to do extensive homework, especially after he showed up at his pro day nearly 10 pounds overweight and couldn't finish drills.

Fit in Seattle

After Georgia won its second straight national title, Carter quickly declared for the draft and instantly became a front-runner to hear his name called as the first overall selection. But due to obvious red flags raised with his arrest during combine week as well as a poor pro day performance in a second job interview in Athens, he's become the elephant in the room for teams such as the Seahawks with top five picks.

On one hand, dominant defensive tackles of Carter's caliber and upside don't grow on trees and for a team like Seattle that rarely has picked in the top 10, passing up on the opportunity to draft a potential perennial All-Pro would carry a great deal of risk. Historically, at least in the past 15 years, elite players at the position have had a high rate of success in the league and the franchise could certainly use a game-wrecking interior defender right now.

But at the same time, the Seahawks still have scars from the ill-fated selection of Malik McDowell back in 2017 and as general manager John Schneider pointed out last month, the organization has zeroed in on drafting high character prospects in the aftermath of that debacle. If they're planning to stick to that new philosophy, even considering his unique talent, Carter may not even be on their draft board anymore.

Over the next three weeks leading up to the draft, there may not be a bigger question for the Seahawks to answer. Assuming Carter remains available when they come on the clock at fifth overall, it will be fascinating to see whether or not they decide to roll the dice on a rare, yet risky talent who checks off their greatest positional need.

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