NFL Draft expert is doubting Jalen Carter’s likely landing spot

Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline has his doubts about the Seattle Seahawks using their No. 5 overall pick on Georgia star defensive tackle Jalen Carter in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Georgia’s Jalen Carter may be the best pure talent of any player entering the 2023 NFL Draft, but there are reasons why he won’t be coming off the board first overall.

Although a lot of it has to do with him not being a quarterback, other NFL franchises have been turned off by some of his character concerns or off-the-field issues. His former Georgia teammates swear by him, so I’d have no issue in taking the next Fletcher Cox or Ndamukong Suh. One team that has been tied to him the most in the draft process has been the Seattle Seahawks.

While the growing consensus has Carter going No. 5 overall to Seattle, Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network has his doubts about this actually manifesting. He believes that Seattle may not be all-in on Carter as much as the other teams in the league think the Seahawks are. This may have more to do with the amount of guaranteed money he would garner as the No. 5 overall pick.

Given that Seattle has two first-round picks this spring, they can afford to assume the risks that could come with Carter. The Seahawks would be a fantastic landing spot for him, but we shall see!

NFL Draft expert skeptical about Jalen Carter to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 5

There are four reasons why I like Carter to Seattle. One, the Seahawks need defensive line help. Two, this isn’t their pick to begin with. It came from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade. Three, Seattle has the unique football culture to handle the perceived baggage that comes from drafting Carter. And four, it takes the pressure off him going to the Atlanta Falcons at No. 8.

Every team picking No. 5 to No. 10 has at least brought Carter in for a top-30 visit. This is significant for three reasons. One, these half-dozen teams have all done their homework on him before coming to a decision. Two, we know he is coming off the board inside the top 10. And three, fantastic job by his agent Drew Rosenhaus for having his back and helping set his client’s market.

Should Seattle have other plans and Carter makes it past No. 5, it is going to be hard for the Detroit Lions picking at No. 6 to pass on him, probably for similar reasons as Seattle. This isn’t their pick, as it came over to them from the Los Angeles Rams trade involving Matthew Stafford. Detroit’s football culture is not as strong as Seattle’s but Dan Campbell’s building something, man.

After Detroit, I have doubts about the Las Vegas Raiders picking at No. 7 and the Falcons at No. 8 selecting him. The Raiders are revamping their culture, while Atlanta may not want the pressure that comes with bringing this particular UGA star into the building. They would probably favor adding his former teammate in edge rusher Nolan Smith at No. 8, but would need to trade back.

Lastly, Carter could fall into the Chicago Bears’ lap at No. 9 and will not make it past the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 10 under any reasonable circumstances. Chicago recouped enough draft capital in the Carolina Panthers’ trade for the No. 1 pick to feel comfortable bringing in Carter. As with Seattle and Detroit, this wasn’t the Eagles pick to begin with. It was the New Orleans Saints’.

Ultimately, I hope Carter goes to the Seahawks for two reasons. One, I think he will be able to achieve all of his superstar potential playing for the youthful, defensive-minded Pete Carroll. And two, he was that dominant of a player at UGA to where he frankly deserves to go top-five, along with Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. and three of the five star quarterbacks of your choice.

We may be overthinking the room a bit, but Carter to Seattle does feel right in most of our books.