2023 NFL Draft: Jalen Carter struggles during Georgia pro day workout Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter might not have had the pro-day performance he was seeking to solidify his stock as one of the top prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. Carter weighed in at 323 pounds on Wednesday, nine pounds heavier than his weight at the NFL Scouting Combine two weeks ago in Indianapolis, a source told Reese's Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy. Carter did not participate in any athletic testing but did take part in positional drills, according to reports. NFL Network reporter Sherree Burrus said team personnel evaluators told her that Carter's day was a mixed bag, with some indicating he struggled toward the end of his workout. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart called Carter "a generational talent" and defended his character following the pro day. "He is a great young man," Smart told Burrus. "His teammates love him. When you look at the course of the year he had, he gets injured on the first play (of the season vs. Oregon). He fights back, he gets injured again with an MCL (against Missouri). "He probably could have shut it down. He decided to come back and play really for his teammates. I think that says a lot about his character in terms of what his competitive character is like and what he wants to do on the field for his teammates." Carter did not speak to media at the pro day. The former Bulldogs star is No. 5 in NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah's ranking of the top 50 draft prospects. Carter left the combine after arrest warrants were issued for him in Athens, Georgia, for racing and reckless driving charges stemming from an investigation into a fatal Jan. 15 car crash. Carter, 21, was booked on the two misdemeanors and released from custody the same day after paying a $4,000 bond. He then returned to the combine but did not participate in on-field activities in Indianapolis. All 32 NFL teams attended the Georgia pro day, including Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus and GM Ryan Poles and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan. Carter helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships the past two seasons and played at a dominant level at times last season, despite dealing with knee and ankle injuries. NFL.com
Up nine pounds in two weeks says it was intentional, though I have no idea why. Maybe he's trying to showcase himself as a potential one-tech in a four man front as well as five-tech DE in a three man front. Seems to have backfired though, as he gave out of gas during the workout. One character thing his coach didn't mention but that his teammates have talked about in interviews... when Carter found out that walk-ons weren't getting paid meals the way the scholarship athletes were, he started covering for one of his teammates. Other scholarship players with NIL kickers joined in so that now all the walk-ons are covered. And the flip side that hasn't come up in media stories around him yet but should... any team drafting him (and most rookies, for that matter, but ESPECIALLY him) should immediately get him support for mental / emotional health.
I haven't looked at them enough to know much about them. Funny thing for me about this year's QB class is I'm more familiar with the second / third tier guys and even some of the UDFAs than I am the top four. For example, as a mock GM I would be all over grabbing Darren Grainger as a UDFA and building him up for a year on my practice squad. But Levis and Richardson? I haven't seen enough of them to know jack about whether I'd want to use my first rounder on them.
I'd call him third tier, not in the top ten QB prospects at this point but still likely to slip into the back end of the draft. He's one of my absolute favorite second/third tier QBs, and I would LOVE to see my Falcons use a late pick to get him or to sign him as a UDFA. The most intriguing thing for me is that as far as I can tell, the only real knocks against him all come back to a lack of arm strength. But I think his arm is close to where it needs to be. He can throw long - he just loses a lot of accuracy on those longer balls where he's far more precise on medium or short throws. Can coaching help him with mechanics in some way that will improve his deep ball? Will another year of growth (he just turned 22 this week) and time in the weight room make a difference? If so, he'll be a fantastic pickup for someone on Day 3 or as a UDFA. He's perfect as a developmental QB#3 candidate.
Update on Jalen Carter: The legal process is behind him now. He had his day in court today and was allowed to plead no contest to the two misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. Teams will still have to decide if his habit for speed is an ongoing risk / concern. And they'll need to do additional visits or workouts to figure out WTF was up with his adding 9 pounds in two weeks for UGA's pro day. Personally, I also think whatever team drafts him MUST make sure he has mental / emotional health support at least throughout his rookie season.
Young: Stature and arm strength (it's not a pop gun, but it's a legit question mark) Stroud: Anticipation and progression time Levis: Ball placement, inability to feather throws and pocket feel Richardson: Ball placement, anticipation and progression time Young - I don't believe his frame can carry the kind of weight that his game may need at the next level. This is kind of a trick question, but I was hoping to get some feedback to discuss. All of them can be difficult to correct, but Levis may have the best chance to correct his flaws as a pro. It depends on if his ball placement is an issue of power vs accuracy, where his wont to rip everything puts the ball in places where it may not suit the situation. If it's simply a matter of taking some heat off then it will correct itself. The pocket feel may be a byproduct of switching coordinators and losing some of his linemen, but he appears to have the athleticism to make it work. Stroud might be an easy fix also, because a good coach may get him to speed up his clock by trusting his receivers to be where the ball is going, and getting him in a better rhythm with this reads. Richardson is easily the biggest project, but he does flash good touch to arc, so layered throws are definitely something he is capable of. All 4 of these passers come with the type of question marks that shouldn't lock anyone in at that top spot, but should probably remove Richardson for consideration at #1 or #2.
We ran them ever year but last year. I am way too busy to run one this year but I could find a way to participate.
As long as its not during the last week and called "halfass draft". I'm good. @LAOJoe are you too busy to score Draft Value Challenge?
I'm always too busy as you know with people complaining but it's usually done eventually. I should be able to find a bulk set of time to do it. I just can't do days at a time watching the forum.
Gettin the cart ahead of the horse a bit maybe....I'm thinkin, let's try to get a draft set up before we worry about who won't score the DVC until mid-summer. (ba dum bum tssh!)
These mocks do require considerable attention. keeping the pace of the draft going . Logging in the drafted players and keeping drafters aware of who's up next (once the draft gets rolling) is no problem. I can handle all of that....
Panthers 'enamored' with Anthony Richardson, former linebacker says Who will be the first overall pick in 2023? Well, no one really knows just yet with the draft still over a month away. But that can't stop analysts and fans from speculating, especially since the Carolina Panthers traded up with the Chicago Bears for the pick. Former Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis has a bit more insight than the casual observer after playing for the organization from 2005 to 2018. In a Tuesday appearance on NFL Network, Davis dropped a potential bomb about who could be the No. 1 pick. "I think it's going to be a very, very surprising pick in Carolina," Davis said coyly. "If this pick happens, who I think they are in love with, I'm not a fan of it. I just know there are a couple of guys upstairs that are enamored with the physical ability of Anthony Richardson." The Florida quarterback would certainly be a surprising selection, even as he's risen up draft boards following a dominant combine performance. He set the quarterback record in the vertical jump and board jump while running a 4.44 40-yard dash and measuring in at just over 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds. Even with these impressive physical skills, there are concerns about his actual ability to play quarterback in the NFL. He completed just 53.8% of his passes for the Gators last season, with 17 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions in 12 games. Davis believes Bryce Young, who NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah projected to the Panthers in his latest mock draft, would be the better selection. "I think he would be a great fit in this organization," Davis said of Young. "Look at his resume. The kid was a Heisman Trophy winner last year for a reason. And then when you put guys around him like Alabama had, play in the SEC, the highest level of competition in college football. I just think he would come in and fit well in Carolina, if they were going to draft. "But I don't think he's going to be their pick." If the Panthers do select Richardson, there will immediately be comparisons to the last quarterback they took at No. 1: Cam Newton. The top pick in 2011, Newton won MVP in 2015 and led Carolina to a Super Bowl appearance the same season. Davis, who played with Newton for eight seasons, was quick to denounce the notion that Richardson can reach those levels. "He's not Cam Newton, he's not Cam Newton," Davis, a Georgia alum, explained. "I watched this guy a lot, being an SEC guy. He has all the physical characteristics of being a really good quarterback in the NFL, but I don't think he's going to be that great player that the Carolina Panthers need to take them to the next level. "When you look at Bryce Young and what he brings to the table, he's a proven winner. When you look at C.J. Stroud, this kid has proven he can win football games. Anthony Richardson, on the other hand, Will Levis, on the other hand, those guys have been in programs that could potentially be good but they just haven't been, and the reason to me has been the quarterback position." The Panthers still have plenty of time to make their decision, but indications are that they remain undecided between Young, Stroud and Richardson. NBC SPORTS CHICAGO
That would be a stunner if Richardson went 1st. I kinda doubt it, but strange things happening is the new norm.
