Jalen Carter

Jalen Da'Quan Carter (born April 4, 2001), is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he was a unanimous All-American in 2022 and a two-time CFP national champion before being selected by the Eagles ninth overall in the 2023 NFL draft. Carter earned Second-team All-Pro honors in 2024, and played an instrumental part helping the Eagles win their second Super Bowl in franchise history. (LIX).

Early life

Carter was born on April 4, 2001. Carter first played football for the Apopka Raptors, a youth team in his hometown of Apopka, Florida. Carter was hailed as being a versatile player during his youth football career, playing multiple positions such as running back, cornerback, wide receiver, and outside linebacker. Carter also played quarterback during an AAU 14-under national championship game, where he threw a 70-yard touchdown pass against the Pensacola Browns. In addition to playing football, Cater played basketball for the Raptors Elite AAU team. Carter later attended Apopka High School, where he played tight end, fullback, and punter in addition to defensive tackle. Carter also played multiple sports in high school, including basketball and heavyweight lifting As a senior, he had 12 sacks, 64 tackles, and a touchdown. A five-star recruit ranked the 18th overall prospect in his class, Carter committed to play college football at the University of Georgia.

College career

Carter played in eight games as a freshman, recording 12 tackles and a touchdown reception. In Carter's sophomore season, he tallied 31 tackles and three sacks in 12 games. This performance earned him a spot on the 2021 All-SEC football team. Georgia won the National Championship that year over Alabama. Carter declared for the 2023 NFL draft after the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship, in which the Bulldogs also won.

Professional career

Jalen Carter, selected by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 9th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, signed a four-year, fully guaranteed contract worth approximately $21.8 million, including a signing bonus of $13.2 million. The contract also includes a fifth-year team option for the 2027 season.

Philadelphia Eagles

2023 season

During Carter's first minicamp, he impressed the likes of veteran teammates such as Darius Slay and Lane Johnson, being described by them as a "game changer", and being compared to a "baby Rhino".

Carter made his NFL debut on September 10 against the New England Patriots, and in that same game, he recorded his first career sack on Mac Jones. During the week 14 Sunday Night Football loss to the Dallas Cowboys, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox stripped the ball from quarterback Dak Prescott, and Carter returned the fumble 42 yards for his first NFL touchdown. As a rookie, he appeared in 16 games and made one start. He finished with six sacks, 33 total tackles (20 solo), two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. He was named to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team. However, Jalen Carter was edged out by Will Anderson Jr. for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

2024 season

In 2024 Carter was selected to his first Pro Bowl. Following the week 15 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the NFL issued a $11,817 fine on Carter for striking tight end Connor Heyward in the head. In a snowy Divisional Round matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, Carter had a pivotal sack on quarterback Matthew Stafford to force fourth down in the final minute of the fourth quarter, leading to a close 28-22 victory for the Eagles after an incomplete pass. On February 1, 2025, the league fined Carter $17,445 for the open-handed slap on center Tyler Biadasz that was not flagged in the 2025 NFC Championship win against the Washington Commanders. The Eagles advanced to Super Bowl LIX, where they would defeat the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs 40–22, giving Carter his first Super Bowl title. Leading the Kansas City 34–0 late in the third quarter, the Philadelphia defensive line received high praise following their dominant performance despite not blitzing a single time, which was widely viewed to be profoundly instrumental to the victory.

NFL career statistics

Regular season

Postseason

Legal issues

On January 15, 2023, at approximately 2:45a.m., a serious car crash occurred resulting in the deaths of University of Georgia staff member Chandler LeCroy and football player Devin Willock. The collision, which occurred in East Athens after the Bulldogs had been celebrating their second consecutive national championship earlier in the evening, was believed by police to have occurred as a result of street racing involving LeCroy, who was driving a 2021 Ford Expedition, and Carter, who was driving a 2021 Jeep Trackhawk. LeCroy, whose blood alcohol content was 0.197, more than twice the legal limit at the time of the crash, veered off the road after failing to make a proper turn at a high speed. She struck at least two utility poles, downing one of them, and trees before the car came to a stop against the door of an apartment building, blocking the resident inside until the wreckage could be cleared away. Willock, who was not wearing his seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle. Two other passengers were injured. It was estimated that both cars reached speeds of more than . LeCroy's speedometer indicated she had been traveling at when it broke during the crash. Carter had previously been cited for traffic violations three times during the fall semester, twice by campus authorities and once by Athens police for traveling at in a zone.

On March 1, 2023, an arrest warrant was issued for Carter for his involvement in the accident, with charges brought against him for reckless driving and street racing. That night, Carter turned himself in and was released on a $4,000 bond. He pleaded no contest to the charges on March 16, and was given 12 months of probation, along with a $1,000 fine, and ordered to complete 80 hours of community service and a driving course. On May 10, 2023, Dave Willock Sr., Devin Willock's father, filed a $40 million lawsuit, in which Carter was named a defendant. On July 13, 2023, Victoria Bowles, a former Georgia staffer who survived the car wreck, filed a lawsuit against Carter and the Georgia athletic association.

References

External links

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Philadelphia Eagles bio

Georgia Bulldogs bio

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Jalen
Living people
2001 births
All-American college football players
American football defensive tackles
Georgia Bulldogs football players
Philadelphia Eagles players
Players of American football from Apopka, Florida
National Conference Pro Bowl players