After the Eagles traded up to select Jalen Carter, Philly fans rejoiced as the commentary crew sat befuddled that the most talented player in the draft fell to number nine overall.

Jalen Carter Selected 9th Overall by the Philadelphia Eagles

A unanimous first-team All-SEC defensive tackle, Carter began the season on the watch lists for the Lott Trophy (nation’s top defender), the Outland Trophy (nation’s top interior lineman), and the Bronko Nagurski Award (nation’s best defender). The two-year starter also has two consecutive National Championship rings with all those accolades. Still, the ESPN graphics department decided to go a different route and bring up the worst night of Jalen Carter’s life.

Unfortunately, a Georgia team staff member, Chandler LeCroy, and football player Devin Wilcox died due to a car accident during a street racing incident while celebrating the National Championship. On March 1, 2023, the police served Jalen Carter an arrest warrant for his involvement in the accident. That night Carter turned himself in and was released on a $4,000 bond 16 minutes later. The Georgia defender faced charges of reckless driving and street racing after being cited three times for traffic violations that fall semester, leading many draft analysts to give him the dreaded “off-field” issue question marks.

It’s becoming a meme now that ESPN has to pull the most tragic or personal hardships in bullet point form under a prospect. For what reason? I still do not know. But I know that draft weekend is the biggest moment for many athletes who have worked tirelessly to get to this position. ESPN constantly contributes negative aspects to players in front of a national audience, most of whom are meeting these guys for the first time. Do better, ESPN.

The Jalen Carter graphic is small potatoes for the worldwide leader in sports as they’ve been more personal and harsher on former draft prospects over the years.

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