Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter is entering his just third NFL season, but playing like he's been in the league much longer.
In fact, ESPN recently rounded up a list of the league's top 10 defensive tackles, and after getting an honorable mention in 2024, Carter comes in at No. 3 behind only New York Giants' Dexter Lawrence and Kansas City Chiefs' Chris Jones.
Here's what ESPN had to say about Carter:
Carter's 4.5 sacks and 8.8% 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."
Carter, who was drafted No. 9 overall out of Georgia, quickly made an impact on the defensive line as a rookie.
He finished the season playing in all 16 games, racking up 33 total tackles (20 solo), six sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. His efforts earned him a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team, and he finished second in the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting
Building on his initial success, Carter's 2024 season saw him officially start every game, amassing 42 total tackles (25 solo), 4.5 sacks, six pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. He was named to his first Pro Bowl selection and ultimately helped the Eagles reach Super Bowl LIX.
Even though Carter did not show up much on the stat sheet during the Eagles’ historic 40-22 Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs, his impact was undeniable. He constantly drew double teams, opening lanes for his teammates to get after the quarterback, and helped shut down the Chiefs' hopes for a three-peat.
Through two seasons so far, Carter has established himself as a cornerstone of the Eagles' defense, logging a total 75 tackles (44 solo), 10.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
Heading into Year 3, Carter is more experienced all while he is still just getting started.
The Pittsburgh Steelers had many pundits convinced they were going to take a quarterback early in the 2025 NFL Draft. That quickly proved untrue, as they waited until the sixth round to select rookie quarterback Will Howard. Many viewed the pick as a ...
The Oilers have made a trade, picking up Isaac Howard from the Oilers for their 2024 first-round pick Sam O'Reilly. The Edmonton Oilers and Tampa Bay Lightning are not done with their offseasons yet. After both lost to the Florida Panthers ...
The Minnesota Vikings are set to enter the 2025 season with their third starting quarterback in the past three seasons, but Kirk Cousins, who began the trend in 2023, now says he would have done things differently if he knew ...
Much has been made about the Cleveland Browns quarterback competition, but that has overshadowed a potential big decision on the team’s stalwart defense. Mere months after Myles Garrett’s contract dispute nearly landed him on another team, the Browns also have a less-big yet ...
On February 6th, 2011, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger shared the stage at Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas, and while it would be the Green Bay Packers who would ultimately prevail, the contest proved to be the last time ...