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Jalen Carter overcame not-great feedback from Georgia coaches to stay in top 10

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Mike Florio and Chris Simms examine how Jalen Carter slipped to No. 9 in the 2023 NFL Draft and map out how the Eagles' defense will be next level.

College coaches who are asked about their former players often face a dilemma. Say nice things about the player who gave multiple years of unpaid service to the program, but who was may not have been an ideal soldier? Or tell the truth?

On one hand, the coaches feel compelled to show loyalty to their players. On the other hand, the coaches have to think about their credibility with NFL coaches and scouts.

When it comes to defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the word making the rounds before the draft was that the Georgia coaches did not have nice things to say. (We specifically decided not to mention any of that until after he was picked, so as not to participate in the pre-draft effort to get guys to fall.)

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media hinted at that last night after Carter became the ninth overall pick in the draft. We’ve heard it more bluntly and strongly. Members of the Georgia coaching staff are not Jalen Carter fans, and they weren’t bashful about saying so.

It’s one of various reasons why Carter -- arguably the best player in the draft -- slipped to No. 9. But he still landed in the top 10, and he ended up with one of the best teams in the NFL. Now, it’s up to him to write a better chapter in the next phase of his NFL career.