(Photo: NBC News)
The one thing I can say about the Georgia Bulldogs is that they are a defensive institution and consistently develop elite defensive talent for the NFL. Some all-time greats have worn the red and black, such as Richard Seymour and Champ Bailey, who are both Hall of Famers. Over the last few years, I’ve watched Nolan Smith, Nakobe Dean, and Roquan Smith dominate in Athens before making their way to the NFL. Another player to come through the program was interior defensive lineman Jalen Carter, who was a key piece of the Bulldogs’ back-to-back national championships. Today, the Philadelphia Eagles rewarded their star defender by making him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history.
The Eagles drafted Jalen with the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and since then, he has emerged as their best defensive player. Alongside Dexter Lawrence, he is the best interior defensive lineman in football today. Despite weighing 314 pounds, Jalen is incredibly explosive, quick off the snap, and remarkably powerful—traits many wouldn’t expect from someone with his frame. He consistently beats guards off the snap, forcing offenses to react immediately, and his first-step quickness makes him a nightmare to block, especially on passing downs. As a pass rusher, Jalen does more than collapse the pocket, he finishes plays. He wins with bull rushes, swim moves, club-rip combinations, and, most importantly, overwhelming power. That leads me to my next point: he is one of the strongest defensive tackles in football. He can walk offensive linemen back into the quarterback, split double teams, and create constant disruption in the backfield. His impact doesn’t stop as a pass rusher. Jalen is also an outstanding run defender who can penetrate gaps, stack and shed blockers, and disrupt zone runs before they develop. I believe the most underrated part of his game is his football IQ. He recognizes blocking schemes and pass protections extremely well, and I appreciate that he rarely falls for misdirection. He understands when to attack and when to occupy blockers to create opportunities for his teammates.
I know Jalen hasn’t always had the best reputation, which brings me to the Week 1 incident last season against the Dallas Cowboys, when he spit on Dak Prescott and was immediately ejected just six seconds into the game. Without Jalen on the field, I remember the Cowboys attacking the middle of the defense with their running game because he was no longer there to clog the interior. When he’s on the field, he’s a true difference-maker, and the Eagles have built their defense around him. I’ve often referred to Jalen as a “man-child” because he can completely impact a game without stuffing the stat sheet. He does all the dirty work such as commanding double or triple teams which in turn, allows the rest of the defense to thrive. There was no way the Eagles could afford to lose him.
