Jalen Carter Becomes First First-Rounder From 2023 NFL Draft To Sign A Contract, Inks Four-Year Deal With Eagles

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Jalen Carter was the most-polarizing prospect in the entire 2023 NFL Draft class, yet he is now the first first-round selection of the draft to sign an NFL contract.

According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Philadelphia Eagles signed the former Georgia Bulldog to a four-year, fully-guaranteed contract worth just under $22 million. The Eagles traded up in the draft to take the defensive tackle with the ninth overall pick.

Carter stated prior to the start of the draft that if he were available when the Eagles' pick came around he'd be headed to Philadelphia, which is exactly what happened.

READ: MAN OF THE PEOPLE JASON KELCE DOWNS BEERS WITH FANS AFTER EAGLES SELECTED JALEN CARTER

Carter could have easily been the first non-quarterback taken in the NFL Draft, but instead he was the sixth off the board. His off-the-field issues certainly played a role in teams passing up on him.

In the early-morning hours on January 15, 2023, Carter was involved in a car crash that resulted in the deaths of teammate Devin Willock and team staffer Chandler LeCroy.

Carter was not in the car that crashed, but was arrested for street racing and reckless driving when the accident occurred. Carter pled no contest and later accepted a plea deal to avoid jail time. Instead, he received 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine, and has to serve 80 hours of community service.

A statement from Carter's lawyer said that he “never left the scene” of the fatal accident after it occurred. His lawyer also said that her client’s actions did not cause the accident on January 15.

Follow Mark Harris on Twitter @ItIsMarkHarris

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.