Here’s what Bears asst. GM Ian Cunningham said about Georiga DL Jalen Carter

The Chicago Bears’ need at 3-tech has resulted in Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter being a popular choice for the team in 2023 NFL mock drafts. Carter ended the 2022 college football season as a candidate to be the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but off-field concerns have dinged his draft stock.

With just a few days until the NFL Draft begins, Carter’s draft stock is rising again. He’s consistently sent to either the Seattle Seahawks (No. 5 overall) or Detroit Lions (No. 6) in recent mock drafts. The Chicago Bears, who hold the ninth pick, will need some luck to land him.

Indeed, Jalen Carter may not even be on the Bears’ draft board. Assistant general manager Ian Cunningham met with the media Tuesday and said Chicago has six to eight players they’d consider with the ninth pick. Carter should be one of them, but nothing is guaranteed with the NFL Draft.

Jalen Carter will test the Chicago Bears NFL Draft process

Cunningham did offer praise for Carter’s skill set, however.

“I think Jalen (Carter) is a really good player,” Cunningham said. “There’s no denying the talent. … He’s one of those players that you covet just in terms of being one of the better defensive tackles in this class.”

No one has doubted Carter’s on-field ability. He profiles as a game-wrecker along the interior. Instead, his scouting report gets complicated when factoring in maturity and off-field decision-making.

The Chicago Bears have done their homework on every prospect they’d consider with their 2023 first-round pick. Jalen Carter is no exception. If he falls to nine and GM Ryan Poles pulls the trigger on him? Bears fans should feel confident that the team is comfortable with all the off-field stuff. If he’s on the board and Chicago passes? Don’t get annoyed. It simply means the Chicago Bears aren’t comfortable with his long-term projection.