Arizona Cardinals must take Jalen Carter off their draft board immediately

Jalen Carter’s situation was on thin ice given his legal issues, but the Arizona Cardinals cannot be impressed with his pro day.

Regarding defensive tackle Jalen Carter, I previously said the Arizona Cardinals should not take him off their draft board, but to instead tread water carefully regarding the charges he is currently facing. A lot can happen between now and April’s draft, and if things changed in his favor, there was still a justifiable reason to take Carter. 

Of course, if nothing changed or if everything worked against him, then by all means, take him off your draft board and don’t think twice about it. But now, legal issues or not, there is no way general manager Monti Ossenfort should even remotely consider the University of Georgia product. 

Per ESPN’s Mark Sclahbach, Carter showed up to his pro day nine pounds heavier than expected, clocking in at 323 pounds. He also could not finish position drills thanks to cramping and breathing issues. Translation: He showed up out of football shape. 

No way should the Arizona Cardinals take Jalen Carter in the first round

Now that Carter should be off the Cardinals draft board thanks to his poor numbers and inability to finish drills, Ossenfort and Company can turn their attention to other prospects. 

Edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. is the clear frontrunner for Arizona if they opt to remain in the third overall spot. However, considering the fact that they’ve been pretty mum so far in free agency, with linebacker Kyzir White being their only major signee, all signs point to the Redbirds accumulating draft picks. 

This signifies the Cards are in more of a rebuilding mode than we initially thought. And while this is disheartening to one portion of the fanbase who wanted to see a quick turnaround, it’s also the right view. 

Let Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon bring in the players and personnel they believe will best serve their respective systems, and watch the Cards build this thing for the long-term. Following the ill-fated Steve Keim era, it’s a change for the better.

Source: Georgia DT Jalen Carter 9 lbs heavier, struggles at pro day by Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com