Things recently got interesting in terms of how the Top 10 could shake up during the 2023 NFL Draft. For the Las Vegas Raiders, it could possibly complicate things if they’re dead set on a first-round quarterback. Though there’s zero official confirmation that this is the stance of general manager Dave Ziegler, you’d be hard pressed to believe otherwise. If the season started today, there’d be no one to snap the ball, technically. Still, what if a game-changing talent such as Georgia’s Jalen Carter falls to No. 7?
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, Carter has opted to skip the workout portion of this week’s festivities in Indianapolis. While it would be asinine to think that missing out on some drills and a bench press will hurt your draft stock, NFL teams do take that into account. Carter’s film speaks for itself.
Georgia DL Jalen Carter, considered one of the top players in this year’s draft, will not participate in the workout portion of this week’s combine but will do the interviews with teams and the physical. His agents, Drew Rosenhaus and Ryan Matha, told teams that Carter will work… https://t.co/6zty6qlLhl
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 27, 2023Â
Other than Will Anderson Jr., you could make the argument that Jalen Carter is the second-best defensive prospect this year. Maybe skipping the combine hurts him just enough to drop out of the top five. Then what?
Schefter did clarify that Carter will hold his workout during Georgia’s Pro Day on March 15. Who knows, maybe the Raiders won’t have to worry about such a decision after all. Schefter also broke the news that the Chicago Bears are “leaning” towards trading back from the first overall pick. Is Ziegler preparing to have offseason splashes in back-to-back years?
Regardless, the question of what Ziegler and Co. are preparing to do is anyone’s guess. There’s been no indication that the Raiders will indeed pursue Aaron Rodgers, for example. At this point, it’s all pure speculation. Nonetheless, as far as Raiders fans are concerned, they want this organization to make a move, and a big one at that. Does that mean trading up? Right now, it’s anyone’s guess when you take into account that Ziegler hasn’t shown his cards just yet.
*Top Photo: Getty Images