4 draft prospects the Carolina Panthers should watch in CFB championship

Carolina Panthers should watch Jalen Carter

• Defensive Tackle | Georgia Bulldogs

There will be plenty of talent on both sides of the ball in the national championship. However, it is easy to know who the best prospect is anytime he steps onto the field. That guy is defensive lineman Jalen Carter, arguably the top prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft.

When watching Carter’s film, it’s easy to see how impactful he is, boasting the right blend of speed, quickness, power, size, and explosiveness at his position. At 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds, the Georgia stud has a top-tier first-step get-off when the ball is snapped.

Within two to three steps, Carter can overwhelm opposing linemen with his quickness, explosion, and unreal power in his lower half and hands.

In the run game, Carter shows natural leverage at the point of attack that allows him to one and two-gap with good extension and strength. He’s a great athlete at his size and position while offering terrific lateral mobility to work down the line of scrimmage to make stops on the play and backside.

Carter is just as good as a pass rusher. He displays incredible violence in his hands to dislodge hand strikes. The Bulldog has shown an improved arsenal of rush moves and counters, making him near-unblockable at times.

The former five-star high school recruit has showcased speed-to-power, swim and rip moves, bull rushes, push-pulls, and clubs to get by and move aside interior linemen from inner alignments. Carter also demonstrates bend and flexibility at tight angles in his rush track.

Is Carter the next Aaron Donald? I don’t think anyone is.

However, from a play-style perspective, Carter reminds me of former Alabama and 2019 top prospect Quinnen Williams, who is enjoying an All-Pro season with the New York Jets.

Imagine a defensive line interior consisting of Carter and Derrick Brown. This would make the Carolina Panthers a true force across their front.