Eagles trade with Chicago Bears to select Jalen Carter with 9th pick in 2023 NFL Draft
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- For the second straight year, the Eagles selected a talented player from Georgia's national championship defense in the first-round of the NFL Draft.
The Eagles traded up with the Chicago Bears to select Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter with the ninth overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft Thursday night.
The Eagles traded a 2024 fourth-rounder to move up one spot and swapped first round picks with the Bears.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is no stranger to wheeling-and-dealing during the draft. With trading up for Carter, Roseman has now made 41 draft day trades in the past 10 years.
Carter was emotional as he walked to the stage after the Eagles drafted him, and said he was thinking about all the work he put in to get to this moment.
"It was a lot," Carter said. "My mind was changing up every second. I was just thinking about how my family felt. I've been grinding all my life for this moment right here to just see a smile on their face and a tear on their eyes. It made me tear up."
At the backend of the first-round, the Eagles selected Carter's teammate, Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith with the 30th overall pick.
Carter, who has elite quickness for a player his size at 6-foot-3, 314 pounds, started nine out of his 13 games last season on Georgia's national championship defense that allowed the fewest rushing yards per game.
Carter earned first-team Associated Press All-American and all-conference honors after he recorded 32 tackles, seven for loss with three sacks, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
Here's a scouting report from NFL.com on Carter:
"When assessing a player's draft grade, we take into consideration areas like traits, toughness, explosiveness, skill level, potential for growth and positional projections. Across the board, Carter checks out in a big way. However, his maturity will need to be vetted by each team as they make their evaluations. The tape shows a defender with odd- or even-front versatility and a rare blend of first-step quickness and leverage through contact. He's capable of finding quick wins against sloppy guard play and finishes the play once he's in the backfield. His hand usage can be violent or subtle, but the feet are always active and searching for an opening. Based upon talent, traits and projection, Carter appears ready to step into the NFL and become a productive three-down talent with Pro Bowl potential."
To select Carter, the Eagles must've felt confident in their due diligence on the game-wrecker of a defensive lineman.
Even though he was rated by most as one of the top prospects in the class, Carter's stock fell in recent months due off-field concerns.
Carter was charged with two misdemeanors for his involvement in a crash that left Georgia teammate Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy dead.
The news of Carter's involvement in the incident emerged during the NFL scouting combine. He left the combine in Indianapolis and was booked on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing.
Carter entered a deal with authorities, where he pled no contest, received 12 months of probation, had to pay a $1,000 fine and 80 hours of community service along with a driving course.
After the charges stemming from the crash, Carter's draft stock dipped further after he reportedly showed up overweight and couldn't finish his positional drills at his Pro Day.
Carter was also stopped by a police officer last year for going 89 mph in a 45 mph zone. He wasn't arrested during the incident.
Carter will be reunited with Georgia teammates Smith, Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean on the Eagles.
The Eagles traded up to select Davis with the 12th overall pick in 2022 and selected Dean in the third round.
"The relationship is very close," Carter said. "Like [we're] locked in. I actually talked to Jordan Davis yesterday, Nakobe we've been texting a little bit. I know they're probably texting my phone now. So when I get my phone, they're probably going to have a little message for me or we might just have a little FaceTime call right quick and talk about what we about to do."
Davis is expected to have a bigger role this upcoming season, and he'll be able to do it next to a player he success with in college in Carter.
The defensive tackle position was a short and long-term need for the Eagles in the draft.
Fletcher Cox, 32, is returning on a one-year deal and the Eagles lost Javon Hargrave in free agency to the San Francisco 49ers.
Hargrave had a career season with the Eagles last season. He recorded 11 sacks, had 60 total tackles, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
Carter will fit in nicely alongside the Eagles' defensive tackle rotation with Davis, Cox and Milton Williams.
Since 2019, the Eagles have now made four trades in the first round to get the player they desire. They did it last year with Davis, wideout DeVonta Smith in 2021 and Andre Dillard in 2019.
