Multiple NFL teams reportedly take Georgia's Jalen Carter off of draft boards

Questions have risen about former Georgia star Jalen Carter’s stock in the 2023 NFL Draft since news broke of an arrest warrant for him during the NFL scouting combine. Those answers might be coming as multiple teams have reportedly pulled him off their draft boards.

Among the teams to do so is the Las Vegas Raiders, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur reported. Multiple other teams reportedly have also pulled Carter from their boards, The Athletic’s Randy Mueller told KJR-FM in Seattle earlier this month.

Carter pleaded no-contest to reckless driving and racing charges against him in relation to a car crash in January that killed offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy. The AJC reported he was sentenced to 12 months probation, a $1,000 fine, 80 hours of community service and must complete a defensive driving course. He was widely seen as a top-five pick in the draft before the incident, and analysts have been mixed on where he could hear his name called next month since the combine.

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. had Carter going No. 6 overall in his latest mock draft last week while Todd McShay projected him to go No. 12 overall March 11. However, former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum released his GM-focused mock draft this week and had Carter as the No. 18 pick to the Detroit Lions.

During a SportsCenter Special after Tannenbaum’s mock draft came out, McShay said despite the off-field issues, he thinks Carter is still a top-10 pick.

“I’m talking about football character, poor practice habits, not a self-starter, having to be motivated by coaches to get through practice and other things,” McShay said. “And so, when the incident happened with the two fatalities, that happened shortly after the national championship and there’s a lot of questions still to be answered. I know it’s been handled in terms of, one year probation, but what really happened? What kind of person are you bringing in to your building?

“And then he shows up a week or so after the combine nine pounds heavier, doesn’t test. Doesn’t run a 40 and a three cone and a short shuttle. He goes in fresh for his position workouts and doesn’t finish. And that matches up with all the things I was saying prior to the incident, prior to that mock 1.0. So, to me, what are you getting?”

The 2023 NFL Draft is coming up April 28-30 from Kansas City.