Jalen Carter primed to be the best defensive lineman, and perhaps player, in college football: ‘He has that look in his eyes’

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Jalen Carter primed for a monster season with Georgia football

Jordan Davis was college football’s best defensive lineman last season. He anchored the Georgia defense and doubled as the vocal leader for the nation’s top team. Calling him the heart of the team would not be a stretch. He led Georgia to a national championship and was taken with the No. 13 overall pick.

Depending on who you seek your analysis from, Davis may not have been the best defensive lineman on his own team. And we’re not talking about the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft either in Travon Walker.

“He was overshadowed maturity-wise by the other two (Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt), he wasn’t overshadowed talent-wise by any means,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “He is massive. He is as talented or more talented athletically than those two. A very different guy than those two, but he is matured.”

Everyone knew Carter the moment he stepped on campus at Georgia. While Davis was a 3-star recruit and Wyatt went the JUCO route to get to Athens, Carter was a 5-star prospect out of Apopka, Fla. His three finalists were Alabama, Clemson and Georgia.

Carter arrived as a fully-formed prospect at Georgia. While so many defensive linemen either need to shed weight or add muscle, Carter did not. That can be chalked up to his other high school pursuits, as he was also a state-champion weight lifter and high school basketball player. He threw down windmill dunks at 6-foot-3 and a chiseled 300 pounds.