Thumbs up or down? Eagles beat writers weigh in on trading up to draft Jalen Carter

In terms of talent, the Eagles may have landed the best overall prospect in this year’s draft at a priority position, and all they had to do was forfeit a 2024 fourth-rounder to move up one spot to select Jalen Carter with the No. 9 pick in the first round. The 6-foot-3, 314-pound defensive tackle is an athletic freak who can explode off the ball and also power offensive linemen off their blocks. He is very much in the mold of Fletcher Cox, another three-technique the Eagles traded up for in the draft and who has anchored the D-line for the last 11 years.

Cox, of course, is still in Philly, but his time is waning, and the Eagles should have his replacement in Carter. He likely will pair with former Georgia teammate Jordan Davis — another defensive tackle general manager Howie Roseman for whom moved up last year — to form the nucleus of the front for the foreseeable future.

Carter wasn’t available because other GMs momentarily lost their ability to evaluate talent. He dropped because of concerns about his character and work ethic. In March, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless driving and racing charges after he was involved in a January incident in which two people died. Carter also had been cited three times for traffic violations the previous fall.

The Eagles invested time in researching Carter’s past and if his transgressions were characteristic. Clearly, they believe he was worth the gamble. But the 22-year-old likely will require additional support when joining the organization. Davis and another former Georgia teammate, linebacker Nakobe Dean, could help Carter’s transition into the Eagles’ culture. Cox, defensive end Brandon Graham and many others within the franchise will offer their guidance as well.

But there’s a risk, one several teams reportedly were not willing to take. So the thumbs up here comes with an obvious caveat, but in terms of value, Roseman hit a homer.

» READ MORE: Evaluating film of Georgia’s Jalen Carter and how he would fit along the Eagles’ defensive line

Looking at it strictly from a football perspective, there’s plenty to like about the Eagles’ decision to move up one spot to draft Carter. He was the best prospect in the draft, one of the best defensive tackle prospects in recent memory, and has a chance to be a game-wrecking interior rusher at the next level because of his blend of explosiveness, power, and body control.

He fills one of the team’s most significant needs going into the draft as an interior rusher who can play from multiple alignments. He already has experience working alongside the nose tackle Davis from their shared time at Georgia, and he complements the former first-round pick quite well because of his athleticism. Carter figures to play plenty of snaps as a three-technique in even fronts and out of the 4i-technique on the inside shoulder of the tackle in odd fronts. The Eagles lost Javon Hargarve, who had 11 sacks last year, in free agency, and Carter is the best possible replacement they could have hoped for.

Still, the only reason he was available for the Eagles on Thursday was because of the valid, lingering concerns about his involvement in a fatal car crash in January. Carter pleaded no contest to reckless driving and racing charges in March. The Eagles, particularly chief security officer Dom DiSandro, did their due diligence on the incident and clearly felt comfortable with him at that point in the draft.

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The fact that Carter made it all the way to No. 9 in the first place speaks to some teams’ discomfort with him as a prospect, but by the time the Eagles were on the clock, the gap in talent between Carter and the rest of the available prospects was apparent. Trading back may have been a viable option, but when you consider the Eagles’ need for an interior rusher and Carter’s upside to be an impact player and an heir apparent to Cox, it’s hard to argue with the overall logic.

If anyone is capable of gathering the most up-to-date intel on Carter, it’s the Eagles. Aside from DiSandro, who was tasked with conducting a thorough investigation on Carter’s background, the Eagles also have a leg up with a a pair of Carter’s former college teammates already on the roster in Davis and Dean. The duo should help Carter get off on the right foot in Philadelphia.

Carter was widely considered a top-three prospect, but he slipped down boards following the tragic car crash that killed Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and staffer Chandler LeCroy. The Eagles’ brass will need to answer questions about any lingering off-field concerns regarding Carter, who recently pleaded no contest and entered a deal with Athens-Clarke County solicitors regarding his involvement in the accident. Through the deal, Carter will receive 12 months of probation, pay a $1,000 fine, perform 80 hours of community service, and finish a driving course. But with the team surrendering a future fourth-round pick to trade up one spot, the Eagles are indicating they feel comfortable enough about Carter’s character to make the 2022 AP first-team All-American the next significant piece for the franchise.

On the field, Carter was surrounded by superior talent at all three levels, but there’s no doubt he’s a one-man wrecking crew. He’s exactly what the Eagles need after they lost Hargrave in free agency in addition to veteran Cox turning 33 this December. Creating pressure against opposing quarterbacks, specifically from the interior, is one of the most premium responsibilities in the NFL. The Eagles are hoping Davis and Carter will man the trenches for the next several years.