ATHENS, Ga. — Former Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter spoke publicly for the first time this week about his involvement in the fatal accident that took the lives of a teammate and a UGA employee.
Carter’s remarks were recorded as part of a story the HBO Max show Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel was doing on agent Drew Rosenhaus, who is representing Carter as he prepares for the coming NFL draft. Reporter John Frankel visits with Carter and his family at their Apopka, Fla., home. Viewers are told Carter can’t discuss details about the high-speed car crash — which resulted in Carter being sentenced on misdemeanor charges of racing and reckless driving after a no contest plea — because “civil litigation is likely.”
Crash investigators determined that Carter and UGA recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy were traveling side by side at more than 100 mph on Barnett Shoals Road in Athens on Jan. 15 when the car LeCroy was driving left the road. LeCroy and Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock died. Tory Bowles, another UGA employee, was seriously injured, while Warren McClendon, riding in the front seat with his seat belt fastened, walked away with only a cut on his forehead.
Carter is asked what NFL teams want to know about his role in the accident.
“A couple of teams have asked me about it, but they really haven’t gotten too in-depth about the accident,” Carter tells Frankel as Carter sits next to his mother on a couch. “They just want to hear my side and that’s it.”
Carter earned consensus All-American honors for the Bulldogs this past season. He is considered a potential top-10 pick. In fact, Rosenhaus infamously issued an edict that he and Carter would meet only with teams who have a top-10 selection ahead of the April 27-29 draft. Frankel referred to that ploy as “a gambit to restore perception” about Carter.
“This is a good guy,” Rosenhaus said. “Jalen is a good kid.”
Carter and Rosenhaus plan to attend the draft night ceremonies in Kansas City, Mo.
Asked if Carter’s role in the accident will have an effect on when he is selected, Carter said, “yeah.”
“I feel like it’s going to matter a little bit because NFL teams look deep into your life,” he said. “It could’ve been something I did back in elementary (school), I’m pretty sure they’d know. So, this coming out at the time it did come out, I’m pretty sure it’s going to affect a little bit.”
And that was that. Most of the show’s 20-minute segment is focused on Rosenhaus, a 35-year veteran agent who is trying to restore his reputation as one of the top representatives in the business. Rosenhaus signed Carter to a representation deal before the Jan. 15 accident with the hope of possibly making him the No. 1 selection. But Frankel described Carter as “damaged goods” after the crash. At this point, quarterbacks Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are projected to go one and two, respectively, followed by Will Anderson and possibly other quarterbacks.
Many draft analysts are predicting Carter will go No. 5 to the Seahawks. Carter and Rosenhaus visited with the Falcons, who pick eighth, in Flowery Branch on Tuesday.
Rosenhaus said he has answered a lot of questions about Carter’s role in the accident.
“Well, what they’ve said to me is they want to know more about his conduct on a day-to-day basis,” Rosenhaus says. “Does he speed? Is he involved in driving recklessly? Does he race? Is this a common thing? And we’ve said, ‘Absolutely not. No, he doesn’t.’ And if he ever has in the past, he’s certainly not going to do so in the future, because he has learned a lot from this tragedy.’ ”
