Draft analyst Matt Miller: Seahawks ‘best-case scenario’ for Jalen Carter

With the Seattle Seahawks holding the No. 5 decide on this 12 months’s NFL Draft, Mike Salk of Seattle Sports activities’ Brock and Salk thinks there’s a “nightmare situation” for them.

Salk: Rating Seahawks’ 5 choices with the No. 5 general decide

In that situation, the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans would take the 2 prime quarterbacks – CJ Stroud of Ohio State and Alabama’s Bryce Younger – with the primary two picks. After that, the Arizona Cardinals would take Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson, who is taken into account the highest participant within the draft, whereas the Indianapolis Colts at No. 4 would take a quarterback the Seahawks have been tied to in Florida’s Anthony Richardson.

If that’s what goes down, what ought to the Seahawks do with the No. 5 decide? For ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller, he really thinks it’s not that tough of a query.

“I’d take Jalen Carter. I nearly really feel prefer it’s that easy,” Miller advised Brock and Salk on Wednesday. “If Jalen Carter goes three, you are taking Will Anderson. If Will Anderson goes three, you are taking Jalen Carter.”

Carter, an All-American defensive deal with from Georgia, entered the draft course of in competitors with Anderson for the title of prime defensive prospect, however numerous points have popped up which will have groups involved about deciding on the proficient defender.

Carter was concerned in a drag racing incident in January that resulted within the loss of life of a teammate and Georgia staffer. He pleaded no contest to costs of reckless driving and drag racing and paid a positive whereas being sentenced to probation and neighborhood service. He didn’t work out on the NFL Scouting Mix, as an alternative opting to work out at Georgia’s professional day.

Seattle Seahawks Draft: Newest buzz on buying and selling up for QB, DT Jalen Carter

That professional day didn’t go nicely for Carter, as he confirmed up 9 kilos heavier than he’d weighed in on the mix, and he couldn’t full the exercise attributable to reported cramping and heavy respiratory.

Miller mentioned the Seahawks must also take telephone requires that No. 5 decide in case a group desires to commerce up for a quarterback, however he thinks Carter is worthy of being taken with that fifth general decide.

“I nonetheless assume Jalen Carter is gonna go within the prime 9, and there’s an excellent likelihood he simply goes 5, or three to 5,” he mentioned. “But when he’s there, I nonetheless assume that he’s nearly too good of a expertise to go on.”

Miller famous that the Seahawks had been “burned previously” by a highly-drafted prospect with character issues in D-tackle Malik McDowell in 2017, who didn’t play a single sport for Seattle, however he additionally identified that edge rusher Frank Clark had crimson flags popping out of Michigan and he wound up being an excellent participant for the Hawks after being drafted in 2015.

“So I believe there’s a precedent for like, hey, this can be a entrance workplace that may take a danger,” he mentioned.

Seattle Seahawks ‘best-case situation’ for Carter

Miller thinks there’s a key cause why the Seahawks would possibly really be the most effective spot for Carter.

“I believe you’ve obtained such a superb management group, and that’s what Jalen Carter wants,” he mentioned. “… This isn’t an individual who’s a foul man, he simply wants management. He wants anyone that may put their arm round him and say, ‘Hey, right here’s how we do issues.’ And you’ve got Bobby Wagner, you have got Jarran Reed, Dre’Mont Jones, Quandre Diggs. You’ve got leaders, like capital ‘L’ leaders, on this protection. And also you even have a head coach, Pete Carroll, who is ready to garner respect from so many various kinds of gamers.

“I really assume Seattle might be the best-case situation for Jalen Carter to satisfy his ceiling since you’ve obtained the construction there that he wants.”

Salk requested Miller about Carter’s manufacturing, or lack thereof. He had three sacks in every of the final two seasons and 15.5 whole tackles for loss in that point.

“I believe quite a lot of it was the rotation that he performed in. That’s in all probability the best reply is that he was not a full-time participant. Nobody was at Georgia,” Miller mentioned.

Carter was a part of two nationwide championship groups at Georgia, and in 2021, he performed on a line of defense with three 2022 first-round picks, together with No. 1 general choice Travon Walker. None of these gamers had been full-time gamers in faculty, Miller mentioned.

“The way in which they rotate their D-line positively impacts that,” he mentioned.

that 2021 Bulldogs group, Miller thought Carter was the most effective participant on their protection when it comes to “soccer traits” in addition to affect, and that protection was loaded with NFL expertise throughout the board.

Moreover, faculties are in a position to gameplan for single gamers and take them out of video games extra so than within the NFL, Miller mentioned. Carter additionally handled some accidents in 2022.

“I believe there’s additionally tape the place, yeah, he obtained his butt kicked. I believe the Florida sport is an effective instance of O’Cyrus Torrence, their proper guard, he gave Carter all he might deal with,” he mentioned. “And I believe that’s the maturity of Jalen Carter as a soccer participant is you’re too proficient to get shut down. He’s top-of-the-line defensive deal with prospects I’ve seen in 10 years from a traits standpoint. However you’re too good to not have an important sport towards everybody you play principally.”

Take heed to the complete dialogue with Miller at this hyperlink or within the participant under.

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