NFL Draft rumors: Teams willing to trade as high as No. 3 for defensive prospect

Jalen Carter now looks like one of the hottest prospects on NFL Draft boards with multiple teams reportedly exploring trades to get him in the Top 3.

By the time the college football season ended, Jalen Carter looked like a potential No. 1 overall pick. Then quarterback mania took hold and Carter’s stock started to slip drastically because of legal issues and a concerning Pro Day performance.

Now NFL Draft weekend is upon us and all the reasons for Carter’s slide on draft boards seem to have disappeared.

In the final hours before the draft began, multiple NFL reporters suggested he could hear his name called within the first few picks.

“The buzz I’ve gotten from multiple teams is that now a host of teams are now calling to see how to move UP for positioning to select Jalen Carter. One of the only blue chippers in this Draft… we will see where he ends up,” Peter Schrager of Fox Sports tweeted.

That report was backed up by Jordan Schultz, who tweeted: “Several teams are discussing moving up as high as 3 to potentially draft Georgia DT Jalen Carter, league sources tell [The Score].”

Eagles and others rumored to try to trade up for Jalen Carter in NFL Draft

Schultz posted that shortly after he tweeted a message about keeping an eye on the Eagles on Thursday night.

Other teams that have been linked with attempts to move up in the draft include the Patriots, Packers, Steelers, Chargers, Chiefs and Titans, per Albert Breer, though those teams weren’t specifically linked with Carter.

Carter’s stock took a hit when he was charged with reckless driving and street racing in an incident that ultimately led to the deaths of a Georgia teammate and staffer.

Then he showed up to his Pro Day eight pounds heavier than he was at the NFL Combine and seemed to struggle with drills on the field.

Now it’s clear teams may be willing to take the chance on Carter’s immense size and talent, despite misgivings.