Georgia’s Jalen Carter to attend NFL draft ceremony in Kansas City

ATHENS — Once again, Georgia will have a player on-site when the NFL draft is conducted in two weeks.

Jalen Carter, the Bulldogs’ star defensive lineman, has accepted an invitation from the NFL to attend the first night of the draft April 27 in Kansas City, Missouri. Carter is one of 17 prospects who agreed to attend the event in person. The first round will be televised (8 p.m., ESPN) from the Union Station area of Kansas City that encompasses the World War I Museum and Memorial. The rest of the three-day, seven-round draft also will be conducted from that location.

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Carter was a consensus All-American last season and played a big role in Georgia winning back-to-back national championships the past two seasons. A 6-foot-3, 310-pound junior from Apopka, Florida, Carter is projected to be a top-10 selection and could go as high as No. 5. That spot currently is held by the Seattle Seahawks, who have shown a keen interest in drafting Carter despite character concerns that developed following his involvement in a double-fatality accident in Athens on Jan. 15.

Carter was charged with racing and reckless driving for his role in a high-speed accident that took the lives of teammate Devin Willock and UGA recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy. Athens attorney Kim Stephens negotiated a no-contest plea for Carter, who was sentenced to probation, community service and fines.

Police reported that LeCroy was drunk and was driving a UGA Athletic Association-rented vehicle at more than 100 mph when she crashed at 2:45 a.m. just east of downtown Athens. Crash investigators determined that Carter was driving alongside LeCroy at the time of the accident and that his vehicle sustained damage from falling power lines after the other vehicle took out two utility poles as it left the road.

An arrest warrant for Carter was issued on the first night of the NFL combine in Indianapolis on Feb. 28. He immediately flew back to Athens to be processed, then returned to Indianapolis the next day. Two weeks later, Carter appeared at UGA Pro Day nine pounds heavier and poorly conditioned when he worked out for NFL executives and scouts in Athens. His case was settled with prosecutors the next day.

Since then, Carter and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, have met with several NFL teams slated to make one of the first 10 selections in this year’s draft. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper is among several experts who rate Carter as the best overall player available in this year’s draft. However, quarterbacks Bryce Young of Alabama and C.J. Stroud of Ohio State are expected to be the first two players off the board, followed by other quarterbacks and possibly Alabama outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr.

This is the second consecutive year that Georgia will have a player on-site for the draft’s elaborate first-round festivities. Defensive tackle Jordan Davis and linebacker Nakobe Dean were in Las Vegas last year. However, Dean had to wait until the third round before finally hearing his name called by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles took Davis in the first round.

Davis was one of five players off Georgia’s 2021 defense who were selected in the first round last year – including No. 1 pick Travon Walker of the Jacksonville Jaguars – and the Bulldogs set an NFL record with 15 selections overall.

Georgia, coming off a second consecutive national championship, is not expected to have quite that many players chosen this year. However, several Bulldogs again are considered possible first-rounders, including offensive tackle Broderick Jones, outside linebacker Nolan Smith, cornerback Kelee Ringo and tight end Darnell Washington.

Georgia Tech defensive lineman Keion White also will be in Kansas City. Other SEC players who accepted invitations include Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, Kentucky quarterback Will Levis and Anderson.

2023 NFL DRAFT ATTENDEES