The Chicago Bears’ 2023 NFL Draft conversation is expected to center around two players throughout the winter months, assuming the team ends up with the second or third overall pick: Alabama’s Will Anders Jr. and Georgia’s Jalen Carter.
Carter’s Bulldogs advanced to the College Football Championship in thrilling fashion with their win over Ohio State Saturday night in a game that Carter was invisible. He didn’t make many plays and didn’t look like a premier prospect worthy of a top-five pick.
And that’s why scouts never write up a player after watching just one game. Carter’s body of work in 2022 is top-five worthy, even if his engine doesn’t burn hot all the time.
According to ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid, Carter’s NFL upside is elite. He compared him to Jets Pro Bowler, Quinnen Williams.
“He’s exactly like Quinnen Williams when he was coming out of Alabama,” Reid said of Carter. “He just understands how to get to the quarterback. Really strong hands, double-team, single-team, it really doesn’t matter — he’s able to penetrate and get to the quarterback. He’s not a guy that’s a space eater that’s going to clog the first level. He’s more of a get-up-the-field right now and just penetrate and destroy the line of scrimmage. Natural as a pass-rusher, really strong hands, already shows plenty of moves as a pass-rusher.”
