No Shot: Steelers Dreams of Drafting Jalen Carter Didn't Last Long

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have reportedly looked into trading up in the NFL Draft, and there's one rumor floating around that says they're hoping Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter slides to the bottom of the top 10 so they can go get him.

But noise around the NFL says that won't happen. Speaking to a number of people close to teams in the top 10 spots, there's a sense that Carter is locked into the go earlier than nine, and is likely out of reach for the Steelers.

"I find it very difficult to believe the Seattle Seahawks would pass on Jalen Carter, if he is available at No. 5," one report said.

"I tend to think Carter might be the favorite there," said another.

Now, if Carter falls past the Seahawks, things get interesting for the Steelers. The Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons follow before the Bears' pick at number nine.

"For Detroit, it would pose a very interesting decision if Carter was able at No. 6," All Lions publisher John Maakaron told All Steelers. "His red flags indicate that he may not be the best fit for Detroit and their revamped culture. Head coach Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes want players who are truly dedicated to the game of football. At this point, I would see Detroit passing on Carter for a player with a lot less question marks."

Sources say the Raiders are also likely to pass on Carter and have had bad reviews on him since last season.

As for the Falcons, it's a toss-up. Some believe they have their eyes on Carter's teammate Nolan Smith, but would they pass on Carter if they got to choose between the two?

"I think Carter is still a guy they're going to be high on. Higher than Smith is the big question," Falcons Report writer Daniel Flick told All Steelers. "I do think they would take Carter over Smith. I also don't anticipate them having that dilemma. Of the two Georgia guys, I tend to think Carter is going to be higher, but there's going to be a higher level of intrigue with Smith within the organization.

"I don't think Carter is a guy where they're itching like, 'I've got to have this guy.' I'm not sure Smith is either."

As for who'd they pick, Flick says he'd lean toward Carter over Smith based on the best player available - but also said he doesn't believe there's a real shot Carter falls that fall.

From there, it's about trading with the Bears. What it requires is up for interpretation, but if Devin Bush's trade in 2019 is an indication, they'll be swapping firsts, handing Chicago a second and a pick next year - possibly a second or third-rounder.

But Carter has to get to nine, first, and right now, it's hard for anyone in the top 10 to see him falling that low.

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