NFL personnel are all in agreement about Jalen Carter's status among best linemen

Philadelphia Eagles will not be surprised to read this next part of the sentence: Jalen Carter is one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL.

That's because members of the league agree, as stated in ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler's latest article. Fowler surveyed more than 70 league personnel who voted on the best defensive tackles, and Carter came in at number three behind Dexter Lawrence II and Chris Jones.

"Carter's 4.5 sacks and 8.8% pass rush win rate are not gaudy, but he's the classic need-to-see-him-in-person player. He's as disruptive as they come. The only thing keeping him out of the top two is experience.

'Young player with elite tools, elite instincts and game-changing play ability,' a veteran NFL coach said. 'Think the best is yet to come from him if he can keep his life in order. Has Hall of Fame-type ability and instincts.'

The 'life in order' line is a common refrain for Carter, who had several off-field incidents leading into the 2023 draft. But Carter has no known issues through two NFL seasons and has been dependable on the field for Philadelphia, playing nearly 800 snaps last season. He registered six batted passes, ranking second on this list.

An area for Carter to improve: consistently winning his one-on-one matchups."

How can Carter outdo Lawrence and Jones as the best tackle in the NFL?

Even Carter would agree that he needs to improve his game against Lawrence and Jones, as they have been the most popular choices for top defensive tackle in the league. It has been a topic that was started with former Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Sr., saying that he heard Carter is still learning the position. Carter's defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, agreed with that assessment, which only means one thing: he's only going to get better.

Outside of sacks, Carter improved on every statistical category from 2023 to 2024. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the fifth-best defensive tackle in the NFL entering the 2025 season. He posted an incredible 84.6 PFF pass rush grade last year with Philly.

One aspect of Carter's game that has been discussed as an area for improvement is his ability to stop the run. He's a proven great pass rusher, but has some small fundamental aspects of the position he needs to work on to win one-on-one battles with the offensive line more often.

The hope is that he can get some help from his friends Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo, who can take the pressure off of him. Davis is already a proven great run stopper, while Ojomo is expected to have a breakout season for the Eagles.

Carter is getting the proper respect he deserves from the NFL. Now it's about showing it off on the field and proving that he can be better than Lawrence and Jones.