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Jalen Carter was selected as the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Georgia Bulldogs alumnus was one of the most outstanding players in college football in the last few seasons and was highly rated going into the draft.
Arguably the most talented player in the draft, Carter was touted to be selected very early in the first round. However, the defensive tackle wasn't selected until No. 9, seeing the likes of Dave Witherspoon, Paris Johnson, and Tyree Wilson hearing their names before him.
The eventual selection by the Philadelphia Eagles has led to social media rumors. The rumors suggest the player had tanked during Georgia Pro Day in order to drop in the draft. In this article, we take a close look at the possibilities of this allegation against Carter.
Jalen Carter’s Georgia Pro Day Performance
At Georgia Pro Day, Carter registered a weight that was up to nine pounds heavier than his typical 314-pound frame. Additionally, the defensive tackle encountered difficulties with his physical fitness, visibly appearing exhausted while on the field.
Carter chose not to take part in the 40-yard dash, cone drills, and other physical tests on Wednesday Instead, he only engaged in position drills. However, during the position drills, he had to stop early due to cramps and experiencing heavy breathing.
The two-time College Football Playoff National Championship winner also did not engage the media during the pro day. The event, which had scouts and coaches from the 32 NFL teams in presence, led to a further drop in the defensive tackle's draft stock.
Having not participated in the athletic testing at the NFL Combine, the Apopka-born defensive tackle was expected to give the best showing during the Georgia Pro Day. However, a horrible showing led to the allegation of tanking in order to be selected by the Eagles.
The Possibility of Tanking
Going into the Georgia Pro Day, Carter already had a lot going on to consider tanking. The issuance of arrest warrants for him in Athens, Georgia, on charges relating to racing and reckless driving led to him departing the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
He has also been having bad media publicity since the incident on January 15th, which led to the death of his teammate Devin Willock as well as Georgia Bulldogs staff member Chandler LeCroy. These issues were enough for a significant drop in draft stock.
Despite his talent, it's quite normal for teams to avoid him while he deals with the charges considering fan backlash. The Georgia Pro Day obviously had little to no effect on his position on many teams' draft boards. It was just the Philadelphia Eagles who could overlook his personal issues as a result of desperation to rebuild a defense decimated by free agency.
