Georgia teammate takes offense to questions about Jalen Carter’s character

Does Georgia defensive lineman and top NFL Draft prospect Jalen Carter have “character issues?” One teammate says absolutely not.

Georgia’s Jalen Carter is currently projected to be a top-five pick in the 2023 NFL Draft as the most talented defensive lineman in his class. Per ESPN’s Todd McShay, Carter has everything: talent, size, explosive motion, pass-rushing moves — except for a gold-star character.

When McShay made some controversial comments about Carter’s personality a few months ago, his teammates couldn’t stand by and watch Carter’s reputation get sullied.

Immediately after McShay’s damning remarks on Carter’s “character issues,” several Georgia teammates defended Carter, posting on social media about Carter’s admirable qualities.

Another teammate, sophomore Weston Wallace, gave a touching anecdote about Carter that should make McShay feel even more embarrassed about his heedless comments.

Wallace was a scout team offensive lineman during his first two seasons at Georgia and used to face Carter in the trenches every day at practice.

Wallace was a walk-on, which meant he didn’t get the same meal plan as other scholarship players on the team. Upon finding out about this, Carter actually paid for Wallace’s lunches with his own scholarship money.

Jalen Carter receives nothing but love and praise from teammates following “character issue” rumors

Wallace told The Athletic:

"“Jalen heard about that. I’m the only walk-on in the defensive line room and he goes, ‘I’m not gonna let that happen.’ So he used his scholarship money to pay for me to get lunch every single day.”"

Wallace added that everybody at Georgia thinks Carter is an “all-around great guy” and that the recent criticism surrounding Carter’s character was “ridiculous.”

Carter has already been heralded by NFL pundits for his raw athleticism and disruptive presence and is widely considered a day-one starter and immediate impact player for any team.

His teammates’ public show of support has blown away the smoke of McShay’s “character issue” accusations and should prevent Carter’s draft stock from falling in the months leading up to the draft.