Just a couple of months ago, everybody around the National Football League would argue that Jalen Carter had more than enough arguments to be the first overall pick.
But some off-field issues and his seemingly careless attitude have driven several teams away from the Georgia standout.
Notably, Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe claims to be quite concerned about him.
Georgia DT Jalen Carter will reportedly not meet with teams that do not have a Top 10 pick:
“I’m concerned that once I give him money, he won’t be starving.”
— @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/0yzDlrUXpc— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) April 4, 2023
Sharpe pointed out the fact that he was dominant and “starving” throughout the regular season, but that he later took several plays off to avoid getting hurt in bowl games.
Then, Carter didn’t show up in good form to his Pro Day or the NFL Scouting Combine, and the fact that he’s not even willing to meet with teams outside of the top 10 should also be considered a red flag.
Per Sharpe, there should be serious doubts about Carter’s work ethic and feel for the game, so he’s concerned that he’s just going to rest on his laurels once he gets his payday.
Carter is one of the most powerful, strongest, and dominant players we’ve seen come out of college in a while.
He can take over a game at any point as an unblockable force of nature, and he’s got the potential to be a generational player at the next level.
But we shouldn’t be talking about this at this point with the NFL Draft just weeks away, so don’t be shocked if some teams decide he’s not worth the risk.
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