Credit Ryan Poles. When he says he’s going to do something, nobody can call him a liar. He made it clear the Chicago Bears would do their due diligence on every single prospect in this draft class. His teams would be as well-informed as possible to make the right decisions. That is especially true with the top names on the board. There is none more divisive at the moment than Jalen Carter. A few months ago, the Georgia defensive tackle was a favorite to possibly be the #1 overall pick. Now after an arrest for street racing that led to two deaths and showing up at his pro day out of shape, teams have started seeing him as too big of a risk.
There were already questions about Carter. Despite his freakish talent, rumors came out of Georgia that he often lacked maturity and a work ethic when it came to practice. This hasn’t stopped the defensive tackle from making a bold declaration. He will not meet with NFL teams picking outside the top 10. He’s confident he won’t fall that far. Maybe he’s right. Then again, it wouldn’t be the first time somebody of his talent fell. Laremy Tunsil did so in 2016. Either way, the Bears haven’t let up in their efforts to determine if he’s worth the risk.
Not only did Poles meet with him extensively at Georgia’s pro day, but he also hosted him for a private visit at Halas Hall on Monday.
Poles understands what Jalen Carter can bring.
A defensive lineman with his ability is rare. He’s big, strong, explosive, and utterly unblockable when the motor runs hot. If he can learn to harness his technique and embraces a proper conditioning program, the guy has Hall of Fame potential. That is not hyperbole. The tape backs this up. The Bears have to be 100% sure the red flags are too big to justify the risk. If Matt Eberflus believes the young man doesn’t have the capacity to mature, then the smart thing to do is spend your resources on more of a sure thing.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
Then again, history is full of teams being rewarded for taking risks on such talents. Warren Sapp was hounded by drug allegations in 1995. Tampa Bay took him outside the top 10. He made the Hall of Fame. Randy Moss was dogged by arrest issues in college. Teams were terrified of his unpredictable off-the-field problems. Minnesota took him anyway. He set records over a long, Hall of Fame career. The Bears don’t usually take risks on players like Jalen Carter. Maybe they will give it a shot this time.
