Jalen Carter became the 1st Round 1 selection in the 2023 NFL Draft to sign his rookie deal Thursday, inking a 4-year deal worth a fully-guaranteed $21.8 million.

Play Underdog For Heat-Celtics Game 6! Who ya got?

...

Carter was selected with the No. 9 pick after the Philadelphia Eagles traded up 1 spot with the Chicago Bears to draft him. The strong defensive lineman out of Georgia was projected by some to be a top 3 pick a few months ago.

According to Pro Football Talk, Carter and 5th round Carolina Panthers selection Jammie Robinson are the only players who have inked a deal as of yet. Obviously, that number will begin to change very soon.

What does the addition of Carter do for the Eagles?

The Eagles’ defensive line is genuinely terrifying. Especially so in the interior.

Jordan Davis, another former Georgia DL, and Fletcher Cox, 32 years old, are the projected starters right now. Adding Carter to the fray does so much more than adding a depth piece though. Cox still has some good football left, but his best years are behind him and Carter is likely the Eagles’ future option alongside Davis.

Carter totaled 32 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and 3 sacks last season with the Bulldogs, adding 2 forced fumbles and 3 pass deflections on a team that blitzed through their schedule on the way to a 2nd straight national title. The Eagles have obviously put an emphasis on drafting out of Georgia, and it seems to be paying off for them so far.