‘A lot of concern’: Georgia star and NFL hopeful Jalen Carter has ‘a lot of questions to answer’ after pleading guilty to reckless driving charges in fatal crash and disappointing league scouts in training, says former Browns GM
NFL teams interested in taking Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter in next month’s draft should think twice, says former Cleveland Browns general manager Michael Lombardi.
Carter was once projected to be a high first-round pick, but he has stumbled in recent weeks after a disappointing pro day and his guilty plea on reckless driving charges. The 21-year-old will not serve any jail time after pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges related to the fatal Jan. 15 car crash that killed former Georgia teammate Devin Willock and staff member Chandler LeCroy. Instead, he received 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine, 80 hours of community service, and a required driver’s course.
Referring to another Georgia defensive tackle, New England Patriots Hall of Famer Richard Seymour, Lombardi explained that Carter represents a risk to any team considering taking him as a top-10 pick.
“A lot of concern,” Lombardi said. TMZ. ‘You want this guy to become the captain of your team. When you pick a player like this in the top 10, you want him to become Richard Seymour. You want him to become a Hall of Fame player. You want to hit
He has many questions to answer.
Jalen Carter was once projected to be a high first-round pick, but has stumbled in recent weeks after a disappointing pro day and his guilty plea to reckless driving charges.
A coach works with former Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter after going through football drills during Georgia Pro Day, Wednesday, March 15.
Carter will not serve any jail time after pleading guilty to the misdemeanor charge related to the fatal Jan. 15 car crash that killed former Georgia teammate Devin Willock and staff member Chandler LeCroy. Instead, he received 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine, 80 hours of community service, and a required driver’s course.
Georgia football player Devin Willock and staff member Chandler LeCroy died in the January crash
Mike Lombardi (pictured) explained that Carter represents a risk to any team considering taking him as a top-10 pick.
Carter missed a portion of the scouting combine in Indianapolis while turning himself in to Athens police on the reckless driving charge, only injuring himself further at last week’s Georgia Pro Day.
Not only had he gained nine pounds since the scouting combine, but he was unable to finish several exercises and refused to participate in other events.
But the biggest problem remains Carter’s link to the fatal crash, which police say involved her running through the streets of Athens “at high speed” before LeCroy crashed a school vehicle, killing herself and Willock and injuring two others. .
It has since been revealed that Carter was previously pulled over and cited for speeding on September 22, 2022.
Carter was a member of Georgia’s back-to-back title-winning teams. He and his teammates celebrated their most recent championship with a parade in Athens on January 14 before the fatal crash in the early hours of January 15.
Carter was pulled over for going 89 mph in a 45 mph speed zone, but was not arrested in September.