Lions to have Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter in for pre-draft visit

As general manager Brad Holmes talked about intangibles and fit, the Detroit Lions will have Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter in for a pre-draft visit.

A notable run in free agency has given the Detroit Lions great flexibility in next month’s draft, which general manager Brad Holmes spoke to at the league meetings on Monday. To that end, and to get an important piece of pre-draft evaluation, multiple reports say they will have Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter in for a pre-draft visit next month.

On a pure talent level, Carter might be the best player in this year’s draft. But he has had a rough pre-draft process, to put it mildly. He had to leave the NFL Combine to answer charges related to his alleged role in a car accident that killed a Georgia teammate and a football staffer. Then he showed up overweight at Georgia’s Pro Day, and was unable to finish drills.

Back in December, ESPN’s Todd McShay cited some potential character concerns with Carter. What initially looked like an early pre-draft smokescreen, passed along with an agenda to a noted draft evaluator, now looks more credible in hindsight.

Brad Holmes cites Lions’ need to evaluate Jalen Carter for themselves

At the league meetings Monday, via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News, Holmes used some expected words regarding draftable players who will be the best fits for the Lions. Intangibles, character…. With some apparent regard to Carter, he noted the importance of going all the way through the evaluation process.

"If a player is really, really talented, and if there’s something else that you have to figure out, we kind of make sure we’re thorough, he do our due diligence,” Holmes said. “Again, they’re all case-by-case, but we just make sure we’re thorough — thorough in our work, thorough in our process.Talent is easy to find,” Holmes continued. “It is. I always say from an evaluation standpoint, talent — and I’m very confident in myself as an evaluator….but you have to do your just due on the intangible piece. The modern-day athletes, they’re all different, you know? You just got to do your work and take it case-by-case.”"

In a vacuum, Carter is the best player in this draft and he also happens to play the position that is now the Lions’ biggest need. So it makes sense for them to turn over all stones in their pre-draft work on him, up to and including having him in for a top-30 visit.

Some teams have probably scratched Carter off their draft board. But the Lions don’t appear to be one–at least not yet.