Last week, Eagles cornerback Darius Slay said receiver Devonta Smith could become the best receiver in the league. This week, Slay was singing the praises of another young member of the Philadelphia roster.
Slay is amazed by rookie defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
“I know ya’ll heard the report about Jalen Carter, man, breaking the sled,” Slay said on his Big Play Slay show, via Matt Mullin of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I’m talking about buddy is strong. I’m not going to compare him to who I want to compare him to, but I’ve been around a lot of great [defensive] tackles. I’ve been around [Ndamukong] Suh, Haloti Ngata, Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave. I’ve been around a great group of guys who play defensive tackle, man, and I’m trying to tell you, Jalen Carter, this kid is just very, very dominant, man. He’s very physical, quicker than what you think, and stronger than how he looks.”
While Slay wouldn’t compare Carter to a specific player, Slay did invoke a specific beast.
“He looks like a baby rhino,” Slay said. “You ever seen a baby rhino and you just [think] he’s crazy, I’m talking about he’s pushing folks back. You can ask Lane Johnson. Lane Johnson said it himself, one of the best tackles in the game, said this guy is ready to play right now and is ready to take control of a game right now. He’s a game-changer.”
The Georgia defender landed at No. 9 (the Eagles moved up one spot to get him) due in large part to an off-field racing incident that resulted in a crash and multiple fatalities. While others shied away, Philly pounced.
“Man, I’m glad he fell to us, because I’d hate for us to have to go against that kid, because that kid is very special,” Slay said. “He’s got a chance to be amazing, man, he’s got a great, great chance to be an amazing [player], and I’m looking forward to it because he is a dog. And I don’t mean the school he went to, I’m talking about literally a dog.”
Slay added that Carter has been beating double teams during training-camp practices. He also has shown quickness and disruption during preseason games.
It’s a very valuable trait for any defense. Apart from sacks, the ability of one player to blow things up — eff up the play, as Chris Simms dubs it on PFT Live — makes it easier for the other 10 guys to swarm to the ball.
“Quick off the line, quarterback hurry, almost got a sack, third-down stop — that’s what I need, that’s a DB’s dream,” Slay said of Carter’s preseason performance against the Ravens. “I’m not trying to cover long, so if they’re doing their job good, my job is going to be good.”
The Eagles with Carter likely will be good. Better than good. The defending NFC Champions might not miss a beat.
They might be even better than they were in 2022 — and with Carter potentially able to disrupt an offense like Kansas City’s, they might be in position to become only the second team since the 1972 Dolphins to lose a Super Bowl and then go right back to the championship game and win it.
