Seahawks selecting DL Jalen Carter a 'cliche' per NFL insider

As the Seattle Seahawks draft nears, selecting Jalen Carter is apparently a cliche to NFL insiders.

Add as preferred source on Google
Jan 9, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Jalen Carter (88) against the TCU Horned Frogs during the CFP national championship game at SoFi Stadium.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

As the draft nears, with roughly a week remaining before the Seattle Seahawks make a decision, the organization's direction may be one that prioritizes defense first. 

As of right now, draft reports have linked Seattle to a number of players including an edge defender like Alabama's Will AndersonTexas Tech's Tyree Wilson, and Anthony Richardson. 

But Peter King, NBC Sports' NFL insider, thinks Seattle won't go with any of those names. Instead, he believes the organization will be heading in one singular direction come the NFL Draft: Jalen Carter. 

"It’s become almost a cliché, how many team officials think the Seahawks will take Carter with the fifth overall pick," King writes.

Carter was viewed as a can't-miss prospect heading into the pre-draft process. However, that all changed after multiple driving-related incidents, one of which led to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing following the death of teammate Devin Willock and Georgia staff member Chandler LeCroy.

Still, King believes "an increasing number of people around the league" feel that Carter has built up enough cache through his pre-draft visits to warrant Seattle taking a chance on him with the No. 5 pick. 

That is a good sign, moreover, because Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider have routinely expressed the need to keep adding to the team's defensive line. 

ESPN recently revealed that a source in Seattle said to "expect defensive line help," which points to Carter directly. 

Cliche or not, Seattle looks more than comfortable selecting Carter early because it means defensive line help is on the way.