Eagles Rookie Jalen Carter Living Up To Hype As A 'New-Age Warren Sapp'

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. But the rookie's Week 3 performance on Monday Night Football shows why he was once considered the best prospect in his draft class.

Carter recorded two tackles, half a sack, a quarterback hit, and two forced fumbles in Philadelphia's 25-11 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The 22-year-old from Apopka, Florida, said after the game that a few dozen of his family members and friends from his hometown were in attendance for Monday night's game. They certainly weren't disappointed in what they saw. Carter was a nuisance against the Bucs up front, finishing with a team-high five pressures in the win. The Eagles' defense held the Bucs to only 174 yards of offense on the night. Carter's forced fumbles came on consecutive plays just before halftime, the second of which the Eagles recovered.

"This defense is awesome," Carter said after the game, via Sports Illustrated. "I love this defense. Everybody trusts one another, plays their roles, and does what they have to do. When one goes down it's the next man up and we don't worry about who it is, we trust him as much as the guy who started the game. I love this defense."

Monday was just the latest standout performance early in Carter's young NFL career.

Carter has a Pro Football Focus grade of 93.2 this season, the highest among interior defenders. Through three NFL games, Carter has created 15 total pressures (one more than Aaron Donald), including six while facing a double-team, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Carter ranks second in the league among defensive tackles in pressures, and second among all players in pressures against double-teams, despite playing less than 50 percent of Philadelphia's defensive snaps on the team's loaded front.

That attention allowed Eagles linebacker Nicholas Morrow to shoot through the line of scrimmage practically untouched to tackle Bucs running back Rachaad White in the end zone for a safety. Carter ate up two blockers on the play.

How did the Eagles wind up with Carter? And is he already the best player on the Eagles' defense? Here's a look at the rookie's quick start in the NFL.

Why Did Carter Fall in the Draft?

Carter was at one time considered perhaps the best prospect in this year's draft, regardless of position. But after off-the-field concerns, his projected position began to fall.

The former All-American at Georgia was charged with reckless driving and racing in connection to a January 15 crash that killed two members of the Bulldogs' football program. Carter pleaded no contest and received 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine, 80 hours of community service, and a driving course to complete.

Carter's draft stock continued to take a hit when multiple reports surfaced of him showing up to Georgia's pro day overweight and unable to finish drills. The Eagles, coming off a Super Bowl appearance, still opted to trade up one spot on draft night to select Carter.

"We felt like that was the right thing to do to get Jalen here," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman told NBC Sports in April. "Obviously, we know the story and the background behind Jalen. And we don't feel so confident in our abilities to know that we can make everything right, but we do feel like in this specific situation that we have a good environment.

"We do think Jalen loves football. He wants to be great and so we're excited to get him here and obviously work from there."

Carter Draws Comparison to All-Pro

The Eagles defensive line led the NFL with 70 sacks in 2022 but might be even better this season with the addition of Carter.

NFL players, analysts, and just about everyone else has marveled at Carter's performance through three games. Three-time All-Pro defensive back Tyrann Mathieu said on X (formerly Twitter) during Monday's game that Carter has "Chris Jones ability." That's not to be taken lightly. Jones, a former teammate of Mathieu's, is a four-time Pro Bowler and reigning All-Pro with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Former NFL player and current broadcaster Ross Tucker said that Carter may be a Pro Bowl-caliber player already as a rookie, while NFL insider Ari Meirov questioned how so many teams let Carter fall to the Eagles. Former NFL defensive back and current ESPN analyst Matt Bowen said Carter "created disruption" against the Bucs.

Chris Simms, a former NFL quarterback and current analyst at NBC Sports, raved over how Carter wins with athleticism and hustle to collapse the pocket and dominate at the line of scrimmage. But that's not all. On a defense that features six-time Pro Bowl tackle Fletcher Cox, All-Pro cornerback Darius Slay, and other standout players, Carter may already be the best of the best, according to Simms. Oh, and Carter reminds him of a Pro Football Hall of Famer.

"He's the best defensive player on their team already," Simms said of Carter on NBC Sports. "He's the best defensive player on the field already... He's a new-age Warren Sapp to me."

Carter Betting Favorite for NFL Honors

A trophy at the NFL Honors could be in Carter's future. At least that's what Vegas thinks.

Carter is the current favorite to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, according to odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook on Tuesday morning. The Eagles defensive tackle has +100 odds to win the award after three games. DraftKings gives Houston Texans pass-rusher Will Anderson Jr., the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft, the next-best odds at +500.