Welcome to SKOL Search!
This series will be your guide to the 2023 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of the Minnesota Vikings from all angles.
The focus of the draft class in this space will be on the Vikings’ major needs at wide receiver, running back, cornerback and both interior and edge pass rusher.
The Vikings are slated to have five picks in April’s draft and they need to make the most out of them.
Background
Jalen Carter
- Georgia
- Height-6030
- Weight-314 lbs
- Third-year junior
- 5-Star recruit per 247 Sports
- Stats: 83 tackles, 44 solo, 18.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, 4 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles
- Games watched: Kentucky 2021, Oregon 2022, Tennessee 2022, Ohio State 2022
Strengths
Carter is an explosive playmaker on the interior and an elite disruptor. Georgia used him next to Jordan Davis in 2021 and was their best defensive lineman.
His quickness is tremendous. Carter explodes out of his stance. He gets into the backfield with ease and gets to the football.
He pairs that quickness with a bevy of pass rush moves. Carter has a really nice dip and rip for a player his size. His strength is also a major asset. Carter uses good hands placement to latch onto offensive lineman and can move them with ease.
Carter pairs his multiple pass rush moves with counters to keep things varied for offensive lineman. Georgia played him anywhere from 0T to 5T and he thrived across the board, even against double teams.
Weaknesses
For being as explosive as Carter is, he is slow off the ball. Not in the sense that he isn’t quick, he’s slow in the sense that he doesn’t react fast enough. Some of that is due to the movement the defensive line has pre-snap.
On the interior, Carter can get bullied by power. He could use some more strength to succeed against powerful guards.
Off the field, there are some question marks. Carter plead no contest to reckless driving from this past January. He also showed up to his pro day overweight and struggled in positional drills. We don’t know everything here at Vikings Wire and can’t make any judgements without talking to him and those around him.
Overview
| Quickness/Penetration | 19.2/20 |
| Power | 8.6/10 |
| Pass Rush Moves | 8.9/10 |
| Counters | 8.7/10 |
| Leverage | 8.9/10 |
| Tackling | 8.8/10 |
| Size/Length | 8.5/10 |
| Run Defense | 8.4/10 |
| Awareness | 8.7/10 |
| Grade | 88.7/100 First Round |
Carter is the best player in the class and this grade is reflective of that. Teams will need to reconcile that when they choose to draft him, but the talent is certainly worth it.
