Expectations were high for University of Georgia product Jalen Carter, who was drafted at No. 9 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

And it's safe to say he met them as he logged 33 total tackles, six sacks, and 47 QB pressures through 16 games for the Eagles in his first NFL season. 

Following an exceptional rookie year, Carter received two glowing reviews from A to Z Sports' NFL draft experts James Foster and Destin Adams. 

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Carter Was a 'Home run' Pick for the Eagles 

Adams graded Carter's rookie season, giving him an 'A' with a bit emphasis on his day-one impact for the Eagles defensive. 

"Jalen Carter was a day-one impactful player," Adams said on A to Z Sports' latest Film Room episode. "His strength is just very noticeable on tape and he's going to continue to get better and be a foundational piece of this Eagles defense. I don't think there's much more to say there. I think it was a home run pick for the Eagles at nine."

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Carter's Pass-Rushing Future Looks Bright 

Meanwhile, James gave Carter an 'A' minus for his dip in production at the end of the year, but admitted that he could see why Carter deserved an 'A.'

"You don't see a lot of rookie defensive linemen come in and be that impactful immediately," Foster said. "I went with an A minus, but I honestly definitely think you could argue an A. I just bumped him down a little bit because I thought he was less effective as the season went on. Especially in the first half of the year it felt like he was cleaning up on some bad offensive lines. And then as the completion level increased he looked a little bit more human. 

"But the bar for rookie defensive linemen is so low. That's just not a position that players come in and are immediately impactful. He's got that club swim, that's really effective. He's got a pretty good bull rush. He wasn't as consistent in the run game.  But I think Jalen Carter is going to be one of the future elite pass-rushing three-text in that Jeffrey Simmons to Quinnen Wiliams tier is probably how I project him. Obviously, he could go even higher than that. So, I went with an A minus. Totally see the argument for an A though."

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Final Word

While speaking to reporters during OTAs, Carter appeared unsatisfied with his rookie season performance. And now that Fletcher Cox is retired, Carter is set to take on a much larger role in Year 2. 

He has already slimmed down and is focused on perfecting his technique and getting faster and stronger ahead of training camp. 

Carter means business in 2024. 

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Eagles DT Jalen Carter details his offseason plan to be better in Year 2

Need for speed.