Jalen Carter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jalen Carter

Carter in 2025
No. 98 – Philadelphia Eagles
Position:	Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born:	(2001-04-04) April 4, 2001 (age 24) Apopka, Florida, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	314 lb (142 kg)
Career information
High school:	Apopka
College:	Georgia (2020–2022)
NFL Draft:	2023 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9
Career history
Philadelphia Eagles (2023–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (LIX) Second-team All-Pro (2024) Pro Bowl (2024) PFWA All-Rookie Team (2023) 2× CFP national champion (2021, 2022) Unanimous All-American (2022) First-team All-SEC (2022) Second-team All-SEC (2021)
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Total tackles: 75 Sacks: 10.5 Forced fumbles: 4 Fumble recoveries: 1 Pass deflections: 6 Defensive touchdowns: 1
Player stats at PFR

Jalen Da'Quan Carter (born April 4, 2001) is an American professional football player. He plays as a defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs. He was a top player in college, winning two national championships. The Eagles chose him as the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. In 2024, he was named Second-team All-Pro and helped the Eagles win their second Super Bowl.

Early Life and High School Football

Jalen Carter was born on April 4, 2001. He started playing football at a young age for the Apopka Raptors, a youth team in his hometown of Apopka, Florida. Jalen was known for being a very flexible player. He played many different positions like running back, cornerback, wide receiver, and outside linebacker.

He even played quarterback in a national championship game when he was 14. In that game, he threw a 70-yard touchdown pass! Besides football, Jalen also played basketball for the Raptors Elite AAU team.

Jalen later went to Apopka High School. There, he continued to play many positions on the football team, including tight end, fullback, and punter, along with defensive tackle. He also played basketball and participated in weightlifting in high school. In his senior year, he had 12 sacks, 64 tackles, and scored a touchdown. Jalen was considered one of the best high school players in the country. He decided to play college football at the University of Georgia.

College Football Career

Jalen Carter played in eight games during his first year at Georgia. He made 12 tackles and even caught a touchdown pass. In his second year, he played in 12 games and made 31 tackles with three sacks. This great performance earned him a spot on the 2021 All-SEC football team. That year, his team, the Georgia Bulldogs, won the National Championship against Alabama.

Jalen decided to enter the 2023 NFL draft after the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship. The Bulldogs won that championship too, making them back-to-back champions!

Carter during the 2022 SEC Championship Game

Professional Football Career

Jalen Carter was chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles as the 9th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team.

Philadelphia Eagles

2023 Season Highlights

During his first training camp with the Eagles, Jalen Carter really impressed his new teammates. Veteran players like Darius Slay and Lane Johnson called him a "game changer." Some even compared him to a "baby Rhino" because of his powerful playing style.

Jalen made his NFL debut on September 10 against the New England Patriots. In that very first game, he recorded his first career sack on quarterback Mac Jones. Later in the season, during a game against the Dallas Cowboys, Jalen showed off his skills again. His teammate, Fletcher Cox, caused the quarterback to drop the ball. Jalen then picked up the fumble and ran 42 yards for his first NFL touchdown!

As a rookie, he played in 16 games and started one. He finished the season with six sacks, 33 total tackles, and two forced fumbles. He was also named to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team, which honors the best new players in the league.

2024 Season Highlights

In 2024, Jalen Carter was selected for his first Pro Bowl, which is a special game featuring the best players from the NFL. After a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the NFL issued a fine to Jalen for an unnecessary roughness penalty.

In a snowy playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams, Jalen had a very important sack on quarterback Matthew Stafford. This play helped the Eagles win the close game 28-22. On February 1, 2025, the league issued another fine to Jalen for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during the NFC Championship win against the Washington Commanders.

The Eagles then advanced to Super Bowl LIX, where they played against the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. The Eagles won the Super Bowl 40–22, giving Jalen Carter his first Super Bowl title! The Eagles' defensive line, including Jalen, received a lot of praise for their strong performance in the game.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Playoff Stats