The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the best overall defensive players in the game.
Jalen Carter has quickly ascended into that type of player. He's entering just his third season in the National Football League and is 24 years old but showed flashed in 2024. He earned his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods and legendary Los Angeles Rams defender Aaron Donald even said that Carter reminded him of himself.
Carter is just scratching the surface of the player that he can be in Philadelphia. Now, ESPN ranked him as the No. 3 overall defensive tackle in football and one coach even said that he has "Hall of Fame-type ability."
"No. 3. Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said. "Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 4. Age: 24 | Last year's ranking: honorable mention. A year ago, evaluators around the league projected big things for Carter, who had already shown a knack for beating top-shelf offensive guards at the line. He validated that faith with All-Pro second-team honors, a Pro Bowl nod and a Super Bowl ring. Carter's 4.5 sacks and 8.8 percent pass rush win rate are not gaudy, but he's the classic need-to-see-him-in-person player. He's as disruptive as they come. The only thing keeping him out of the top two is experience.
"'Young player with elite tools, elite instincts and game-changing play ability,' a veteran NFL coach said. 'Think the best is yet to come from him if he can keep his life in order. Has Hall of Fame-type ability and instincts.' The 'life in order' line is a common refrain for Carter, who had several off-field incidents leading into the 2023 draft. But Carter has no known issues through two NFL seasons and has been dependable on the field for Philadelphia, playing nearly 800 snaps last season. He registered six batted passes, ranking second on this list. An area for Carter to improve: consistently winning his one-on-one matchups."
The Eagles superstar was constantly facing double-teams all game last year and yet he still found a way to break out. Now, it's going to be fun to see how he can follow up on his big sophomore season.
