5 dream scenarios for Eagles in 2023 season

No. 4 Eagles dream scenario: Jalen Carter wins Defensive Rookie of the Year

The Eagles traded up from No. 10 to No. 9 in April’s NFL Draft to select Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. The move surprised many, primarily because Carter wasn’t supposed to be available at No. 9. How lucky could the defending NFC champs get?

Philadelphia’s front office has been exemplary on the roster-building front under Howie Roseman. Carter now joins an impressive young core on the Eagles’ defensive front line. He will have the opportunity for immediate first-team reps with a winning defense while getting to learn the ropes from tenured stars like Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox.

Carter was involved in off-field controversy at UGA, which led to his draft night tumble. He was projected at the No. 1 pick all season and he showed up to Eagles camp in top shape, already earning rave reviews and punishing unsuspecting blocking sleds. His speed and power at 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds is not common.

The 22-year-old compiled 83 total tackles across 35 games at UGA. He introduced running backs to the dirt as frequently as any lineman in college football, and he was no stranger to opposing quarterbacks in the pocket either.

If the Eagles defense is going to remain elite — or, in a dreamworld, get even better — Carter will have to play a significant role. It can be easy to set expectations too high for a young player joining an experienced group that’s focused on winning games, but Carter looks the part of an immediate winner. He was a foundational piece of the most dominant defense in recent college football history. He won back-to-back rings with the Dawgs and now he’ll look to make it three-straight individually with the Eagles, who are preseason favorites in the NFC for good reason.