Earlier this morning (March 1), University of Georgia star football player Jalen Carter was charged with two misdemeanors. The charges stemmed from a crash that killed one of his teammates and another Georgia staffer. Issued with two warrants for reckless driving and racing, Carter was racing the now-deceased Devin Willock in a Jeep Trackhawk, according to reports. Police said that alcohol was involved in the incident.
News broke of this just hours before the start of the 2023 NFL combine. Scheduled for April, most 2023 NFL Draft boards have Carter predicted to be a top-10 pick. Today, Carter intended to speak to NFL media at the combine. But, after the story broke regarding his warrants, he skipped out on the press conference. However, the NFL said he was still receiving his physical in the medical testing area. He will not speak with the media at the combine for the rest of the week.
Jalen Carter's Statement
Shortly after the various reports came out and individuals such as his Georgia head coach Kirby Smart made statements, Carter decided to clear the air. Via Twitter, Jalen released a statement at 1:13 p.m. ET maintaining his innocence for these charges.
"This morning I received a telephone call from the Athens Georgia Police Department informing me that two misdemeanor warrants have been issued against me for reckless driving and racing," he wrote. "Numerous media reports also have circulated this morning containing inaccurate information concerning the tragic events of January 15, 2023. It is my intention to return to Athens to answer the misdemeanor charges against me and to make certain that the complete and accurate truth is presented. There is no question in my mind that when all of the facts are known that I will be fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing."
The crash that took Chandler LeCroy's life came less than a week after Georgia won the NCAA championship. Carter was a key piece in the team's success. It's unclear how NFL teams hoping to draft Carter will respond to these warrants. But, with Carter cooperating, potentially he could clear his name and leave this in the past.