Bears NFL Draft prospect Jalen Carter will not participate in workouts at Scouting Combine

If the Chicago Bears keep the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter is among the favorites to be their selection. With the NFL Combine set to begin Thursday night with on-field workouts for defensive linemen and linebackers, Bears fans were hoping to catch a glimpse of the player who could be manning the all-important three-tech in coach Matt Eberflus’ defense next season.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, those Bears fans now have to wait until Carter’s pro day. He won’t participate in the on-field work in Indianapolis.

“Georgia DL Jalen Carter, considered one of the top players in this year’s draft, will not participate in the workout portion of this week’s combine but will do the interviews with teams and the physical,” Schefter tweeted Monday. “His agents, Drew Rosenhaus, and Ryan Matha, told teams that Carter will work out at his Georgia Pro Day March 15.”

Bears will get up-close look at Jalen Carter at his Georgia pro day

Carter isn’t the first — and he certainly won’t be the last — top prospect who’s elected to sit out of workouts at the NFL Combine. The Chicago Bears (or any other team in a position to draft Carter in April) will still get an up-close look at his movement skills and athleticism at his pro day. The workout should confirm his elite grade as the top non-quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Jalen Carter didn’t stuff the stat sheet during his career at Georgia, finishing with just six sacks over three seasons, but he embodies the concept of disruption being production. His explosive first step and incredible power will instantly make him one of the most threatening defensive linemen in the NFL in 2023, and if the Chicago Bears can’t find a trade partner to move down from No. 1 overall, adding Carter is a great Plan B.

Will Anderson Jr. is another option for the Bears should they decide to keep the first pick. Unlike Carter, Anderson was a monster in the box score, totaling 34.5 sacks over his three years at Alabama.

Anderson to the Bears has lost momentum in recent weeks, and it may not matter if reports that the Chicago Bears are leaning toward trading out of the No. 1 pick are accurate. Anderson won’t wait long after Carter to hear his name called. He could even be selected before the Georgia standout.

If the Bears want to ensure they land either Jalen Carter or Will Anderson Jr., they must be careful how far they trade down. A swap with the Indianapolis Colts, who hold the No. 4 pick, is about as far as Ryan Poles can drop if he wants a realistic chance at one of the blue-chip defenders.

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