Jalen Carter

Jalen Carter is a blue-chip defensive line talent that was probably already NFL starting quality as a Sophomore. This past season Carter had 3 sacks, 7 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles in a season where most team's put the focus on stopping him. Carter was still causing havoc despite the lack of statistical production. Carter had a pass rush win rate of 16.8% in 2022 and paired that with a 91.2 run grade (according to PFF). He's simply dominant everywhere.

Carter has the typical NFL IDL size at 6'4" and 314 lbs. His has 33.5 inch arms pack explosive power with each jab. He came in a bit heavier than expected at the combine and after not testing there he also didn't do much at his pro day. However, it's reasonable for him to stand on what he already put on tape.

Carter is outstanding against the run. At the point of attack, he's able to stymie and drive offensive lineman into the backfield with a strong initial punch. On top of his power, he's has rare quickness for his size and operates with outstanding hand technique to keep leverage when necessary and to discard immediately and get in on plays.

As a pass rusher, Carter cannot be single-blocked. He can win with power or quickness. Carter can transition well between pass rush moves and usually utilizes swims, rips or any advancing move that allows him to get his body past his blocker. There's not much fluff to his pass rush plan. Despite never surpassing 3 sacks in a season, it's possible to see Carter eventually growing into a 10+ sack IDL.

As wild as Jalen Carter's draft process has been, it's hard to see a scenario where he lands outside of the top 5 much less the top 10. He's a high impact starter from day one and has the upside to be a DPOY candidate in a few years.