Photo by: AP
Quick Chat: Jalen Carter
April 12, 2022 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Jalen Carter doesn't have the outsized personality of a Jordan Davis or Devonte Wyatt, but like his now-former teammates on the Georgia defensive line, Carter was a game-changer up front during the Bulldogs' run to the 2021 national championship.
The 6-foot-3 and 310-pound Carter, from Apopka, Fla., near Orlando, was a force on the inside last season, earning second-team All-American and second-team All-SEC honors. Carter had 37 tackles in 2021, 17 of them solo. His 33 QB pressures ranked second on the team and his 8.5 tackles for loss ranked third. With Davis and Wyatt off to the NFL as possible first-round picks, Carter figures to be even more of a force in 2022.
Carter also famously has seen some playing time on offense during his Georgia career. As a freshman in 2020, he caught a 1-yard touchdown pass against Tennessee, and last season he and Davis sometimes came in as blockers when the Bulldogs were inside the 5.
One of Carter's highlight-reel plays last season came at Vanderbilt when he just threw his blocker to the side and drilled the running back for a loss on the Commodores' first drive. It was an explosive and dominant play by a player coming into his own. He also blocked two kicks, including a field-goal attempt in the National Championship Game.
While Carter doesn't tend to talk, laugh and command the room the way Davis and Wyatt did, Carter said during a recent Quick Chat that he can lead in his own way. He also talked about playing on offense, dunking in fifth grade, Hamburger Helper, and much more.
Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: Given how big Jordan and Devonte's personalities are, what is it like not having them around anymore?
Carter: It's very different because J.D. and 'Vonte are both goofy, so probably every meeting every day we'd have a little laugh with J.D. and 'Vonte. Now it's a little more serious because we have a lot of freshmen coming in and they've got a big role to play because we're a young team. It's a big change.
Frierson: Do you feel the need to take more of a leadership role now?
Carter: I've always felt the role of a leader but I'm not a vocal leader. I lead with my play style and what I do in the game. I feel like that's my style. I do talk but I'll probably walk up to the person and say something.
Frierson: How eager are you to get back into the end zone? I'm hoping, and I'm sure the fans are too, that you're going to keep going in there on offense some.
Carter: I wish every time we get near the goal line I could go score, but if the offense has got it, they can do what they do. I came here to play defense so if I've got to play defense the whole time, that's what I'll do.
Frierson: You didn't come here thinking you were going to score touchdowns, so how good did that touchdown catch feel?
Carter: It felt good. I came here thinking strictly about defense and when they told me I could get in there at fullback because they'd seen my offensive film (from high school), I got happy. When I scored the touchdown, it felt like high school. I was really happy and I didn't know what to do.
Frierson: What kind of offensive player were you in high school?
Carter: I played a lot of positions, tight end, fullback, wide receiver. My head coach had me everywhere and he knew I could do it all.
Frierson: What other sports did you play growing up?
Carter: Basketball was my other sport. I love basketball.
Frierson: Do you remember your first dunk?
Carter: I think I dunked in elementary school, fifth grade. I don't know if the rims were lower or what, but I dunked and my P.E. coach got a little happy and we all just celebrated and were jumping around. I don't remember if the rims were 10 feet or maybe a little lower.
It felt really good. I tried every day, in fifth grade I was trying every day to dunk, and I finally got it.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Carter: My mom cooks Hamburger Helper and I love it. I could eat that every day.
Frierson: Does she do anything special with it or is it just mom's love that makes it special?
Carter: I think it's just the love. She calls me to come eat and when I got the plate it's gone in a minute.
Frierson: When you think of home what comes to mind?
Carter: Family, mom, my auntie, her kids. I think about them all the time.
Frierson: I know Warren Sapp is from your hometown, so was he an inspiration or someone you looked up to?
Carter: I didn't look up to him but I knew about him and I knew he came from Apopka, and I feel like I could come out and be the next Warren Sapp.
Frierson: I looked up Apopka on Wikipedia and you are listed among the notable people from there. Is it weird already having a Wikipedia listing given that you're still young and just getting started?
Carter: [Laughs] I've seen that. Now with the internet, you can see anything, so I wasn't surprised when I first saw that. I actually had a friend send me a screenshot and I was like, that's cool. More to come.
Frierson: Jordan seemed to have the title of funniest guy on the team locked up for the last couple of years, so is there a new funniest guy?
Carter: I don't really think so. I think J.D. was the top, he had it all. Dancing, making jokes, everything. Now, everybody has a little joke now and then, but I feel like J.D. beats everybody.
Frierson: Is there a moment from the National Championship Game that still flashes through your mind pretty regularly?
Carter: I would say it's the (field goal) block. I did rush a lot (with six QB hurries), but I don't think I had a sack. That block had a big impact and I had Julian Rochester come up to me and tell me he loved me and that my block changed the game. I felt happy because I knew he always wanted to beat Bama and win a national championship.
Frierson: You obviously got the hat and the t-shirt after the game but did you keep anything else?
Carter: I don't really have anything. Right after the game, when it was :00 on the clock, I had my phone and I was just moving around. I went to get my phone and I was running around with that. I got some hats and I gave them to my mom and my auntie, because they were there, and after that, I went to celebrate.
Frierson: Did winning it all feel as good as you thought it would?
Carter: It felt better than I thought it would. When I was coming up from high school I always said, I'm going to come to Georgia and help them get a national championship. And then to get the block that helped us get the national championship, that felt good.
Frierson: What is the most satisfying play a defensive lineman can make?
Carter: With me, it's playing the run and being able to throw offensive lineman and hit the running back as hard as I can. Like the Vandy play from last year, I just love that play every time I see it. I'm just like, that's the perfect play.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Â
Staff Writer
Jalen Carter doesn't have the outsized personality of a Jordan Davis or Devonte Wyatt, but like his now-former teammates on the Georgia defensive line, Carter was a game-changer up front during the Bulldogs' run to the 2021 national championship.
The 6-foot-3 and 310-pound Carter, from Apopka, Fla., near Orlando, was a force on the inside last season, earning second-team All-American and second-team All-SEC honors. Carter had 37 tackles in 2021, 17 of them solo. His 33 QB pressures ranked second on the team and his 8.5 tackles for loss ranked third. With Davis and Wyatt off to the NFL as possible first-round picks, Carter figures to be even more of a force in 2022.
Carter also famously has seen some playing time on offense during his Georgia career. As a freshman in 2020, he caught a 1-yard touchdown pass against Tennessee, and last season he and Davis sometimes came in as blockers when the Bulldogs were inside the 5.
One of Carter's highlight-reel plays last season came at Vanderbilt when he just threw his blocker to the side and drilled the running back for a loss on the Commodores' first drive. It was an explosive and dominant play by a player coming into his own. He also blocked two kicks, including a field-goal attempt in the National Championship Game.
While Carter doesn't tend to talk, laugh and command the room the way Davis and Wyatt did, Carter said during a recent Quick Chat that he can lead in his own way. He also talked about playing on offense, dunking in fifth grade, Hamburger Helper, and much more.
Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: Given how big Jordan and Devonte's personalities are, what is it like not having them around anymore?
Carter: It's very different because J.D. and 'Vonte are both goofy, so probably every meeting every day we'd have a little laugh with J.D. and 'Vonte. Now it's a little more serious because we have a lot of freshmen coming in and they've got a big role to play because we're a young team. It's a big change.
Frierson: Do you feel the need to take more of a leadership role now?
Carter: I've always felt the role of a leader but I'm not a vocal leader. I lead with my play style and what I do in the game. I feel like that's my style. I do talk but I'll probably walk up to the person and say something.
Frierson: How eager are you to get back into the end zone? I'm hoping, and I'm sure the fans are too, that you're going to keep going in there on offense some.
Carter: I wish every time we get near the goal line I could go score, but if the offense has got it, they can do what they do. I came here to play defense so if I've got to play defense the whole time, that's what I'll do.
Frierson: You didn't come here thinking you were going to score touchdowns, so how good did that touchdown catch feel?
Carter: It felt good. I came here thinking strictly about defense and when they told me I could get in there at fullback because they'd seen my offensive film (from high school), I got happy. When I scored the touchdown, it felt like high school. I was really happy and I didn't know what to do.
Frierson: What kind of offensive player were you in high school?
Carter: I played a lot of positions, tight end, fullback, wide receiver. My head coach had me everywhere and he knew I could do it all.
Frierson: What other sports did you play growing up?
Carter: Basketball was my other sport. I love basketball.
Frierson: Do you remember your first dunk?
Carter: I think I dunked in elementary school, fifth grade. I don't know if the rims were lower or what, but I dunked and my P.E. coach got a little happy and we all just celebrated and were jumping around. I don't remember if the rims were 10 feet or maybe a little lower.
It felt really good. I tried every day, in fifth grade I was trying every day to dunk, and I finally got it.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Carter: My mom cooks Hamburger Helper and I love it. I could eat that every day.
Frierson: Does she do anything special with it or is it just mom's love that makes it special?
Carter: I think it's just the love. She calls me to come eat and when I got the plate it's gone in a minute.
Frierson: When you think of home what comes to mind?
Carter: Family, mom, my auntie, her kids. I think about them all the time.
Frierson: I know Warren Sapp is from your hometown, so was he an inspiration or someone you looked up to?
Carter: I didn't look up to him but I knew about him and I knew he came from Apopka, and I feel like I could come out and be the next Warren Sapp.
Frierson: I looked up Apopka on Wikipedia and you are listed among the notable people from there. Is it weird already having a Wikipedia listing given that you're still young and just getting started?
Carter: [Laughs] I've seen that. Now with the internet, you can see anything, so I wasn't surprised when I first saw that. I actually had a friend send me a screenshot and I was like, that's cool. More to come.
Frierson: Jordan seemed to have the title of funniest guy on the team locked up for the last couple of years, so is there a new funniest guy?
Carter: I don't really think so. I think J.D. was the top, he had it all. Dancing, making jokes, everything. Now, everybody has a little joke now and then, but I feel like J.D. beats everybody.
Frierson: Is there a moment from the National Championship Game that still flashes through your mind pretty regularly?
Carter: I would say it's the (field goal) block. I did rush a lot (with six QB hurries), but I don't think I had a sack. That block had a big impact and I had Julian Rochester come up to me and tell me he loved me and that my block changed the game. I felt happy because I knew he always wanted to beat Bama and win a national championship.
Frierson: You obviously got the hat and the t-shirt after the game but did you keep anything else?
Carter: I don't really have anything. Right after the game, when it was :00 on the clock, I had my phone and I was just moving around. I went to get my phone and I was running around with that. I got some hats and I gave them to my mom and my auntie, because they were there, and after that, I went to celebrate.
Frierson: Did winning it all feel as good as you thought it would?
Carter: It felt better than I thought it would. When I was coming up from high school I always said, I'm going to come to Georgia and help them get a national championship. And then to get the block that helped us get the national championship, that felt good.
Frierson: What is the most satisfying play a defensive lineman can make?
Carter: With me, it's playing the run and being able to throw offensive lineman and hit the running back as hard as I can. Like the Vandy play from last year, I just love that play every time I see it. I'm just like, that's the perfect play.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Â
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
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