Jalen Carter

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 314

HAND: 10 1/4"

ARM: 33 1/2"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: TBD

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: TBD

BROAD: TBD

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POSITIVES

— Good size for an NFL defensive tackle and carries little to no bad weight. Has room for growth on his frame if needed.

— Accelerates off the line of scrimmage well in pass-rush situations or when given a jet/go call to put pressure on offensive linemen immediately.

— Combines that get-off with low pad level, strength and physicality at the point of attack to help collapse the pocket with a bull rush.

— Does a good job of working to get on an edge instead of trying to go straight through an offensive lineman's chest.

— Shows impressive quickness, active hands and athleticism to win with finesse moves as a rusher.

— Has a wide array of pass-rush moves that he can win with: bull rush, push-pull, arm over/swim, rip, cross chop, etc.

— Impressive agility, bend and a limber lower half help him take an efficient path to the quarterback when slanting or when turning a tight corner after beating an offensive lineman.

— Great pass-rush motor to get coverage sacks and fight through double-teams.

— Has the quickness and nimbleness against the run to change the offensive lineman's aiming point and get off or avoid blocks, especially when slanting.

— Also has the agility to gain ground vertically and laterally with his first step when slanting.

— Has the athletic ability to redirect and make the offensive lineman miss if slanting puts him out of position.

— Has good knee bend to get leverage advantage when he does take on blocks, and has plenty of strength to get extension and shed.

— Violent when shedding to help get off blocks.

— Has the strength to hold his ground versus one-on-one blocks and won't pop his gap/leave his assignment early.

— Little to no issues making tackles near the line of scrimmage.

— Hustle player with decent speed to factor into gang tackles in pursuit.

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NEGATIVES

— More deliberate off the ball when he isn't slanting on running downs, which could cause him to lose some ground against physical offensive linemen in the NFL.

— Takes on blocks with a narrow base when one-gapping.

— Was reliant on his upper-body strength in college.

— Has wide hand placement against the run and when bull-rushing.

— Linemen with strong grip strength will be able to get to his chest and latch on.

— Struggles to recognize and anticipate double-teams coming to turn his hip into the second blocker.

— Will get caught off guard and kicked inside against doubles.

— Can fall into a habit of doing too much dancing before bull-rushing.

— Needs to just get off the ball and get into the blocker every time.

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2022 Statistics

— 13 G, 32 TOT, 7 TFL, 3 SK, 2 FF, 31 QBH

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NOTES

— 5-star recruit in the 2020 class, No. 18 nationally, No. 4 DT, per 247Sports composite rankings

— Injuries: 2022 ankle (limited 1 game, missed 1 game), 2022 knee/MCL sprain (missed 2 games)

— 11 career starts, played with three first-round defensive linemen last season

— 2021 Honors: Coaches' All-SEC second team

— Played basketball and was a competitive weightlifter in high school

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OVERALL

When watching Travon Walker, Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt last year, Jalen Carter constantly kept popping off the tape.

Carter was the best player on a defensive line that featured three 2022 first-round picks, including the first overall selection. That's part of the reason why he's been considered a top-five player throughout the 2023 NFL draft process.

Unlike a lot of defensive tackles who have a specialty, the Florida native is about as versatile as they come. He's quick and athletic to make offensive linemen miss as a run defender and has plenty of strength to hold up against and shed one-on-one blocks. As a pass-rusher, he can win with power using a bull rush or push-pull move or around the edges with finesse moves.

A lot of the Georgia product's negatives are admittedly nitpicky. There are a few technical flaws that he needs to clean up, most notably his hand placement on bull rushes and against the run, but most of his issues are easily fixable. His biggest area for concern in the NFL is probably his ability to take on double-teams, which slightly impacts his scheme fit.

Carter would be best as a 3-technique for a team that uses a lot of even fronts. He has the athleticism to also play as a 4i- to 5-technique in odd fronts, but his struggles against double-teams would be a major issue playing anywhere further inside than a 2i, and even that might be pushing it. He also lacks to size to play too close to the center.

With that said, any team picking toward the top of the draft that's looking for an interior defender who can make an impact against the run and as a pass-rusher should be more than happy to select Carter.

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GRADE: 9.5 (Top-Five Prospect)

OVERALL RANK: 2

POSITION RANK: DL1

PRO COMPARISON: Warren Sapp

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Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder

Fresh off announcing he will enter the 2023 NFL draft, Kentucky quarterback Will Levis finds himself as the No. 3 overall prospect in this year's class based on the rankings from ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.

In his new big board released on Thursday, Kiper moved Levis up one spot to No. 3 overall behind Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter in first and Alabama defensive end Will Anderson Jr. in second.

Carter has overtaken Anderson as the top overall player in the class in the rankings. Kiper noted the Bulldogs star's dominance from the interior since he returned from a knee injury has pushed him up the board.

Levis will likely be the most-debated prospect in the 2023 draft. The 23-year-old meets all of the physical requirements to be an NFL starter. He's listed at 6'3" and 232 pounds by Kentucky's athletics website.

Kiper wrote Levis has a "rocket launcher for an arm and makes some 'wow' throws." He did note the Wildcats supporting cast is one of the reasons his stat line won't jump off the page.

Levis finished the 2022 season with 2,406 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 11 games.

Bryce Young, who is Kiper's No. 2 quarterback and fifth-ranked player overall, will face scrutiny because of his size. The Alabama standout could be the first quarterback under 6'0" and 200 pounds to be drafted since Seneca Wallace in 2003, depending on what his official measurements come in at.

Despite those physical questions, Kiper called Young "one of the best 'processors'" he's scouted in the past decade.

Ohio State's C.J. Stroud is the third quarterback in the top 10, but he fell four spots from the previous ranking to No. 7 overall. The downgrade comes after his rough outing in a 45-23 loss to Michigan.

The biggest mover in the top five is Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He went from No. 16 in the previous rankings to No. 5.

"He has stellar burst and explosiveness out of breaks," Kiper wrote about Smith-Njigba. "He's a hands catcher who can run the entire route tree, and he can make defenders miss after the catch."

Another wide receiver, TCU's Quentin Johnston, also made a big move to get into Kiper's top 10. He jumped 11 spots from No. 20 in the previous ranking to ninth overall.

Given how the current draft order looks, it would be a surprise if a quarterback doesn't go No. 1 overall. The Houston Texans are in line to get the top choice and desperately need to find an answer at the position.

After the Texans, though, it could be argued the next four teams don't need to look for a quarterback. The Chicago Bears are getting excellent returns from Justin Fields right now. Geno Smith has more than earned a new contract from the Seattle Seahawks.

The Detroit Lions at No. 4 are a question because they can get out of Jared Goff's deal this offseason with only a $10 million dead cap hit. But the offense has been one of the best in the NFL this season with him under center, and they will have a fully-healthy Jameson Williams alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown in 2023.

Any questions the Philadelphia Eagles had about Jalen Hurts as a passer have been answered this season. They have no reason to use the No. 5 pick on a signal-caller.

This should lead to a lot of trade activity before and during the draft with teams looking to get in position to add one of the top quarterbacks.

A pair of high-profile quarterbacks are near the top of ESPN NFL draft expert Todd McShay's early rankings for the 2023 NFL draft.

Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Alabama's Bryce Young are ranked third and fourth, respectively, but defensive players primarily dominate the top five.

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. is the No. 1 overall player on McShay's big board, while Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter is second and Georgia linebacker Nolan Smith is fifth.

Both Stroud and Young were starting quarterbacks at the collegiate level for the first time last season, and each of them thrived.

Stroud finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting after completing 71.9 percent of his passes for 4,435 yards, 44 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Meanwhile, Young completed 66.9 percent of his passing attempts for 4,872 yards, 47 touchdowns and seven interceptions en route to winning the Heisman.

Stroud and Young are widely considered the top two quarterbacks in the nation entering the 2022 season both in terms of producing at the collegiate level and establishing themselves as potential top picks in the 2023 NFL draft.

The quarterback talent promises to be rich in the 2023 draft, as McShay also gave Kentucky's Will Levis and Miami's Tyler Van Dyke first-round grades by ranking them 21st and 26th, respectively.

If those rankings hold up, the 2023 draft will be significantly different from the 2022 draft, as only one quarterback was selected in the first round this year.

The Pittsburgh Steelers took Pitt's Kenny Pickett 20th overall, and the next quarterback didn't come off the board until the Atlanta Falcons selected Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder 74th overall in the third round.

Last season also marked the first time since 2017 and only the second time since 2015 that a quarterback didn't go first overall.

Stroud and Young are strong candidates to go No. 1 overall in the 2023 draft depending on the order, but if a team that doesn't need a quarterback picks first, Anderson could be a clear choice.

Anderson finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting last season after racking up a spectacular 17.5 sacks and 31 tackles for loss for a Crimson Tide team that reached the National Championship Game.

The past three non-quarterbacks to go No. 1 overall in the draft were all pass-rushers in Jadeveon Clowney, Myles Garrett and Travon Walker, meaning Anderson could be the prospect to beat at this point.

The 2022 NBA draft opens for business Thursday evening at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Wait, you thought this article was about future NFL talent? It is. But a significant differentiation exists between the two sports in regards to eligibility standards.

The NFL currently requires a prospect be three years removed from high school before he's deemed eligible to play. Whereas, the NBA demands a one-year requirement before entering the draft.

The general argument in favor of the extended waiting period centered on the vast majority not being physically or mentally prepared to endure the rigors of professional football. This isn't the case with everyone, though.

The likes of Adrian Peterson, Trevor Lawrence and even Derek Stingley Jr., who became this year's third overall pick, showed how silly the NFL's standing can be when it comes to truly elite talent. But 14 years have passed since Maurice Clarett challenged the standard only to have the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit rule against his case.

Even so, the possibility of a young superstar rising through the ranks and challenging the league again isn't out of the question. Had the rules changed prior to the 2022 draft, multiple previously ineligible prospects would have heard their names called very early in the process.

Five in particular stand out as top talents who wouldn't have waited long to hear their names called.

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QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

Ohio State's C.J. Stroud is DraftKings' current favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. Had he been eligible, the reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year would have almost certainly been the top quarterback selected in the 2022 draft.

This incoming crop of quarterbacks turned into one of the weakest groups in recent memory. The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Kenny Pickett with the 20th overall pick—which made him the lowest-drafted QB1 this century. No other signal-caller heard his name called until the third round.

Stroud, meanwhile, produced a fantastic campaign during his first season as the Buckeyes starter.

The 20-year-old became the only FBS quarterback to finish top four last season in completion percentage (71.9), average yards per attempt (10.1), touchdown passes (44) and quarterback rating (186.6). To expand on his productivity, Stroud was the nation's most accurate deep passer during the 2021 regular season and posted the highest rate of accurate passes over his last nine starts (including postseason), according to Pro Football Focus.

Some may argue in favor of Alabama's Bryce Young as the top quarterback prospect for next year's class. After all, he is the current Heisman Trophy winner. The difference lies in physical attributes. The 6'3", 218-pound Stroud has a much sturdier frame than the 6'0", 194-pound Young. The old prerequisites for playing the position have changed over time, but teams still prefer to have the bigger, strong option behind center if the talents are comparable.

In this case, the redshirt sophomore has an opportunity to put together a pair of outstanding seasons, win more accolades and claim the top spot among a much deeper quarterback class.

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RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

Wisconsin's Braelon Allen is the closest person to replicate what Adrian Peterson did as a freshman at Oklahoma. In some ways, the current collegian is even more impressive.

The second-team All-Big Ten performer took the Big Ten Conference by storm before he even turned 18 years old. He ran for 1,268 yards, and his average of 6.8 yards per carry tied with fellow freshman TreVeyon Henderson for the nation's best among backs with 150 or more carries. For comparison, Peterson ran for 1,925 yards and averaged 5.7 yards per tote as a freshaman, though he carried the ball 153 more times. On the other side of the spectrum, freshman Derrick Henry managed 35 carries for 382 yards in a loaded Alabama backfield.

These two comparisons are important because of their physical stature. Both Peterson and Henry always looked larger than life, capable of running through and past defenders. Allen, too, is a sculpted 6'2", 238-pounder.

Now eligible to vote, Allen is physically different than anyone else at the position and maybe in all of college football. The running back cleaned 405 pounds when he was just 16 years old, and he's bigger, thicker and stronger after being in the Badgers' weight program for a full year.

"A lot of the stuff he does is freakish, whether it be in the weight room or out here," tight end Jake Ferguson, whom the Dallas Cowboys drafted in this year's fourth round, told reporters. "Just being able to block for him, it’s awesome. Him just running through people’s faces is pretty cool to watch. … He's running hard. I keep telling him, ‘Just run through somebody’s face.'"

Physically, Allen could be one of the NFL's top backs right now.

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TE Brock Bowers, Georgia

Not a single tight end heard his name called in this year's first round. Brock Bowers will be a first-round pick as soon as he becomes available.

As a true freshman, Bowers led the national champion Georgia Bulldogs with 56 receptions, 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. He ranked third among all tight ends in receiving yards, first among those with 50 or more receptions at 15.8 yards per catch and first in touchdown receptions.

The 6'4", 230-pound target is already an instant mismatch in the passing game, which is where today's tight ends hold the highest value. His ability to adjust to the ball and highpoint passes with strong hands and fantastic body control makes him difficult to cover, even when a defender is in position.

"Once he got into contact, he’s got really good toughness," Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart told reporters in December. "He’s got great lower body strength. He’s got great pass-catching radius and good speed. These things combine to make for a good tight end.

"The fact that he’s been so composed has surprised me the most. There's not been a moment too big for him. It doesn't matter to him whether he's playing in the backyard or playing our defense against the scout team or he's playing Clemson in the opening game, for him he wants to do it the right way. It’s important to him to do it the right way."

Typically, tight ends must be considered special to earn their way into first-round consideration. Bowers might already be a top-10 talent.

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Edge Will Anderson Jr., Alabama

Travon Walker wouldn't have been the No. 1 overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars this year had Alabama's Will Anderson Jr. been available.

Sure, Walker has unreal physical traits that made him worthy of the status, but he's far from a polished prospect and nowhere near the disruptive force the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year is.

Clearly, those within college football saw Anderson as the far superior player considering the hardware he won. Granted, a player can't bring collegiate accolades with him to the professional game. But Anderson earned the recognition because he's a complete game-wrecker.

Last season, the 20-year-old led the FBS with 17.5 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss. He had 12.5 more tackles for loss than any other player at that level. His 81 quarterback pressures led everyone as well, according to PFF. Oh, he led the nation with 60 pressures during his true freshman campaign, too.

The 6'4", 243-pound Anderson isn't built like other edge defenders considered worthy of the No. 1 overall pick. Courtney Brown, Jadeveon Clowney, Myles Garrett and even Walker were all around 6'5" and 265-plus pounds with long levers and outstanding physiques. Still, Anderson is an explosive athlete capable of blowing by blockers. At the same time, he doesn't quite fit the typical standards for being an elite talent at the position.

His constant disruption, ability to bend and closing burst on the quarterback may be a little more reminiscent of another Alabama great, Derrick Thomas. To be sure, it's a lofty comparison. But Anderson is college football's most dominant edge-rusher over the last two decades.

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DL Jalen Carter, Georgia

Aaron Donald made everyone look at the defensive tackle position differently. He showed a premium pass-rusher doesn't need to work off the edge full-time.

Generally, an edge-rusher is counted among the premium positions. But a defensive tackle can be just as valuable, if not more so, based on his ability to create pressure.

Among an absolutely loaded Georgia defense—which featured this year's No. 1 overall pick, as well as the reigning Butkus and Outland Trophy winners—Carter often looked like the best player on the field.

As a true sophomore, the 6'3", 310-pounder led all Power Five interior defenders in pass-rush win rate, per PFF. He also led all returning SEC defensive tackles in overall grade.

Carter is a tenacious and competitive defender, and the Bulldogs coaching staff expects to get even more out of him this fall.

"I took him off kickoff returns, I wanted [him to be fresh to rush the passer] and he was pissed at me," Smart told reporters in January. "I thought he was going to beat me up over there when I told him he couldn’t go on kickoff return, because he wanted to go on kickoff return. He had been playing defensive line, he had blocked the field goal, played on offense, and played fullback.

"So he’s a talented player, and the sky’s the limit for him."

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Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.