Jalen Carter Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Jason Getz/Jason.Getz@ajc.com)
School: University of Georgia (Junior)
Position: IDL
HT: 6’3
WT: 310 lbs
Sideline Prospect Ranking: #2
Jalen Carter is an absolute freak of nature. He has been a dominant force ever since his early high school years. Carter was a consensus 5-star recruit and was one of the most heavily recruited players in the country. The athleticism that comes with his physicality is extremely rare. He can be an extreme disrupter on the interior of that line, making the entire offensive line unit implode with his ability to shed double teams and force panic. He’s also a versatile defender on the defensive front as Georgia lines him up anywhere from 1-tech, 3-tech, and 5-tech, but his physical tools and frame suggest 3-tech at the next level. No quarterback will work from a clean pocket when Jalen Carter is lined up on the opposite side of the ball. He has the best first step in the country that allows him to accelerate towards the ball carrier. Carter has a signature swim move while also having the ability to shift his momentum with a single pivot and violent hands. 300 pound players are often not able to have the explosiveness that Carter has. He has impressive quick twitch abilities. Linemen who lack footwork of an elite level will consistently get worked by Carter. He moves well for his size as he can change directions at the point of attack to propel himself into the backfield. He is an elite run stuffer but he is also just as good of a pass rusher, which is a rare trait to find in interior linemen. Perhaps Carter’s best trait is his Football IQ and processing, he knows when and how to use his leverage and he never drives himself too far up field. Carter has great instincts and an innate ability to keep his eyes on the ball. He is able to extend his arms in order to create separation with the blocker. He is even better than the numbers will say because of the fact that he creates for others. The natural size and length he has, combined with his ability to shed blocks and wreak havoc on the interior, allow for other rushers to have a free lane to the quarterback. If there was a statistic for assisted sacks, he’d be at the top of the leaderboard.
Carter is an elite prospect, but if you have to nitpick, he does have some minor flaws. These flaws come in the form of combo blocks. When he is not 1-on-1 it seems as if he is significantly slowed down. Also, it should be noted that Carter dealt with an injury to his MCL this past season. It does not seem to be a serious issue at this point in time, but it is something to keep in mind.
Jalen Carter has the potential to be a generational interior defensive lineman. His versatility along that defensive line projects him to be a guy that can see about 75-80% of snaps for his team. He will be an instant impact player and will flourish just about anywhere.
Scheme Fit: Even Front with Blitzing Tendencies
Ideal Role: Primary 3-tech with 1 & 5-tech sprinkled in
Best Team Fits: SEA, CHI, HOU
Player Grade: 93.8
