Eagles traded up with the Bears to select Georgia DT Jalen Carter with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Eagles flipped a 2024 fourth-rounder for the right to move up one spot. With balanced power and a mature approach to reading his responsibilities, Carter (6’3/314) led 2022 UGA in forced fumbles despite missing two games with a knee injury. While his hands demonstrate violence, Carter’s most notable trait may be his movement ability as he can either burst or change direction on a dime. When it comes to body leverage, he imposes his will on offensive linemen whether it’s by shooting the gap or reestablishing the line of scrimmage. His play awareness is phenomenal, regularly shutting down run plays or pushing the pocket into the quarterback’s lap. Carter may sound like a close-to-perfect prospect, but huge question marks remain regarding his maturity and off-the-field issues. He chose not to undergo any athletic testing throughout the pre-draft process. Although he isn’t the type to be a team distraction and prima donna, Carter has drawn the ire of coaches for immaturity and lack of professionalism, as well as being associated with the death of a college teammate in an auto accident. There is also slight concern with his injury history that caused him to miss games this past season. However, he has shown the ability to fill many roles on successful teams at multiple levels and has the potential to become one of the best at his position, even at the next level.