Jalen Carter didn’t waste much time signing on the dotted line.
A week after being taken with the ninth pick in the NFL Draft last Thursday, the former UGA star became the first 2023 NFL Draft pick to sign with his new team.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Carter signed a full-guaranteed deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The contract will pay Carter $21,806,184 over the course of four years. As is customary, the deal will have a fifth-year option which the Eagles could elect to pick up after Carter’s third season in the NFL.
Carter was one of three Georgia players taken in the draft by the Eagles. They also selected Nolan Smith in the first round and Kelee Ringo in the fourth.
Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman discussed Carter in a recent interview with ESPN.
“We feel very comfortable that he can have success in Philly. We don’t put that on our Georgia players, he’s our responsibility,” Roseman said. “We’re going to rally around him. We think he’s a tremendous talent, a good person. And again, a young guy. We talk all the time. These guys, we bring them in here, we have to develop them. We can’t just ask them to come on the field and play.
“We have to develop them on and off the field. That’s our responsibility. We have a great staff here that takes that part of the job seriously. We’ll rally around him and give him the support he needs to be a great player on the field and the best person he can be off the field.”
Georgia had 10 players taken in the 2023 NFL Draft, tying them with SEC rival Alabama for the most players selected from one school.