Tray Scott Reveals Story About Jalen Carter's Character
The University of Georgia set NFL Draft records a year ago with 15 NFL Draft picks, five of those coming in the first round, with three of those draft picks being members of an elite defensive line unit from 2021 that propelled Georgia to their first national title in 41 years.
Though if you spoke to any NFL Draft analyst a year ago, or any opposing head coach, it wasn't any of the three defensive linemen chosen in last year's first round that impressed them the most. It was the sophomore, Jalen Carter that didn't even start for that team, that drew the attention of the NFL.
Now, Carter's draft class has arrived, but not without criticism or doubts already being cast. ESPN analyst Todd McShay warned the football world on an ESPN Broadcast that Carter had "character issues" and would be a hot-button name as the draft process continues until April. Ironically, McShay stated in his next sentence that he predicts Carter to be selected by the Seahawks as the No.2 overall pick and that his concerns were strictly about character and had nothing to do with his athletic ability.
Character issues? From where? From who? Those were the questions raised around the Georgia building when these comments arose.
Georgia players were adamant on social media that the story had no legs. Georgia coaches scoffed at the idea, most recently Tray Scott, Georgia's defensive line coach. Scott was interviewed in an expansive profile on Carter by The Athletic's Bruce Feldman in which he mentioned asking walk-on-nose tackle Weston Wallace his thoughts on Carter. Wallace, a walk-on defensive lineman doesn't get to eat with the team during team meals — a rule about scholarship and non-scholarship amenities put in place by the NCAA. So, this season, Jalen Carter picked up his meals.
"Jalen heard about that. I’m the only walk-on in the defensive line room and he goes, ‘I’m not gonna let that happen.’ So he used his scholarship money to pay for me to get lunch every single day,” Wallace said.
“You honestly don’t know the guy if you think that. You can ask anybody on the team, whether it’s the O-line that he bullies every day out there … everybody thinks he’s an all-around great guy, and I think he’ll be great for any team that picks him.”
For more, read Feldman's piece on Carter here.
Other Georgia News:
- Georgia Recruiting Notebook: Names to Know on the Trail
- NFL Draft Profile: Will Jack Podlesney be Drafted?
- NFL Draft Profile: Will Kelee Ringo be a First-Rounder?
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