Lions having their pre-draft visit with Jalen Carter on Monday

After news it was scheduled a couple weeks ago, the Detroit Lions are having their pre-draft visit with Jalen Carter on Monday.

In late-March, it was reported the Detroit Lions scheduled a top-30 pre-draft visit with Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Now, 10 days out from the start of the draft, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Lions will have their visit with Carter on Monday.

If not for off-field concerns, and if the Chicago Bears hadn’t traded out of it, Carter might be in the conversation as the No. 1 overall pick in this draft. But charges related to a car accident that killed a Georgia teammate and a football staffer, followed by what was reported as a poor Pro Day performance where he showed up overweight, has lined him up to fall into the back half of the top-10. Or further.

Carter has only taken visits with teams picking in the top-10 though, on the advice of his agent Drew Rosenhaus.

With those concerns and their culture under head coach Dan Campbell, the Lions have been easy for draft analysts to tab as the ideal landing spot for Carter. In terms of football character, he returned to action from an ankle injury last season rather than shut it down to protect his draft stock.

2023 NFL Draft: Will the Detroit Lions take Jalen Carter if he’s available at No. 6?

The Lions have been pretty clear about doing their own evaluation of Carter, which while obvious can remove any agenda-driven hyperbole or serve to confirm the concerns around him. Campbell did have an interesting comment about Carter, which he of course did not elaborate on.

The Lions will get their close-up look at Carter in their building on Monday, with everything he does or says subject to their scrutiny in what amounts to a job interview with the team. The full reveal of how they feel about him, if he’s available at No. 6, will come on the night of April 27.