Jalen Carter Says Car Accident Could Affect NFL Draft Stock 'A Little Bit' But Teams Didn't Press Issue

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The HBO series Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel profiled NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus in its latest episode. Rosenhaus represents former Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter, a top prospect for next week's NFL Draft.

Carter is one of the most polarizing prospects in the entire class. Most evaluators agree that when it comes to talent, few can match Cater. However, he has had multiple red flags pop up over the course of this NFL Draft season.

One of those is the car accident that killed one Georgia football player and one staff member. Carter was not in the car that crashed, but he was arrested for racing and reckless driving when the accident occurred. Carter pled no contest and accepted a plea deal.

According to Pro Football Talk, Carter addressed the impact of the accident on his draft status when asked by HBO.

“I feel like it’s gonna matter a little bit because, you know, NFL teams look deep into your life," Carter said. "But it could’ve been something I did back in elementary . You know, I’m pretty sure they’d know. So you know, this coming out at the time it did come out I’m pretty sure is going to affect a little bit.”

Jalen Carter spoke to some team at the scouting combine ahead of the NFL Draft.

Jalen Carter spoke to some team at the scouting combine ahead of the NFL Draft. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

He said “a couple teams asked about it” during interviews, but none focused too heavily on it. He said they wanted to know his side of the story, but otherwise didn't press the issue too deeply.

As I've written about Carter in my mock drafts, the arrest itself is probably not enough to keep him from being a top selection.

However, there are just so many issues piling up with Carter. Whether it's the arrest, questions about his love of football, or the weight gain and conditioning issues at Georgia's Pro Day, I would be wary of selecting him next Thursday.

However, talent wins out usually. And Jalen Carter has plenty of that.

He's going to hear his name called early on April 27th.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.