Stat Comparison Shows Jalen Carter could Explode in 2022
Prior to the 2022 NFL draft, Georgia by no means was known for developing elite talent at the defensive line positions. In fact, the program went eight years without having a defensive lineman even selected in the draft. At least that was until they had three go in the first round in this year's draft, and that appears to be just the beginning for the Bulldogs.
Despite how talented players like Jordan Davis, Travon Walker, and Devonte Wyatt are, many media members have claimed that the best defensive lineman from Georgia is still in school. Yes, even better than Walker who was the No. 1 overall pick this year.
That player, to no surprise, is Jalen Carter.
There is no debate when it comes to discussing how talented of a football player Carter is. He's a dominant player upfront and impacts the game in so many ways any time he steps foot onto the field. It's why he has been labeled as a potential player to be in the running for the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
The 2022 season, however, will look a little different with Carter now being in the main spotlight and the focal point of Georgia's defense for the first time in his career. Now, as to just how good Carter will be in 2022, a simple comparison of his current stats to those who have recently played alongside him will tell you that he could be due for a monster season.
Both Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt had exceptional college careers and put up some solid numbers. For Wyatt, he played in 42 games while tallying 113 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 5.0 sacks. Davis on the other hand played in 41 games and racked up 90 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 7.0 sacks.
Adding Carter into the comparison is where things start to get interesting. Up to this point in his career, Carter has appeared in 22 games and has accumulated 51 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 3.0 sacks. He has played roughly half the games that Wyatt and Davis did in their careers, but still managed to put up numbers that are very comparable to what the two now NFL players did over four or five years despite playing the same position and being on the same team as well.
Carter spent his freshman season as a rotational player in 2020, playing mostly on 2nd and 3rd downs. In 2021, as a sophomore still playing behind Devonte Wyatt primarily at the defensive tackle spot, he superseded Wyatt's tackles for loss and total sacks.
Not only will Carter have to replace Wyatt's production, but there's a world where the impact from the loss of a player like Jordan Davis at the nose tackle position could be filled in part by Carter as well. He has a history of playing everything from nose tackle, and defensive tackle, to even lining up as a stand-up end.
With Carter now being "the guy" for the Bulldogs on the defensive line, it's safe to say that those numbers are only going to explode during the 2022 season. He's been phenomenal for the Bulldogs thus far and now with nobody standing in front of him on the depth chart, Carter could be in store for a massive season.
This increase in demand and volume of snap count and role has been reiterated by Kirby Smart during the offseason. Saying:
"It’s a matter of can he play with maximum intensity and sustain. We need him to play more snaps this year. Can he do that? Can he go through offseason workouts and get to where Travon was. Devonte Wyatt was able to play so many snaps because he was in such great shape.”
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