Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Jalen Carter. Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Possible No. 1 draft pick Jalen Carter releases statement on arrest warrant

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated Mar 2, 2023 8:41 AM ET

Hours after an arrest warrant was issued Wednesday following a fatal January crash that took the life of a teammate and Georgia football staffer, NFL prospect Jalen Carter released a statement on the matter.

In the statement, Carter said "numerous media reports" have put out "inaccurate information" regarding the events, and he planned to answer the misdemeanor charges to "make certain that the complete and accurate truth is presented." The potential top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft added "there is no question in my mind that when all of the facts are known" he will be "fully exonerated."

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— Jalen Carter (@breadmanjalen) March 1, 2023

Carter was scheduled to hold a media session Wednesday morning at the NFL Combine, but it was canceled after news of the warrant came out.

Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart also released a statement late Wednesday morning, saying that the charges against Carter were "deeply concerning" and that the program would "continue to cooperate fully with the authorities."

Per the Associated Press and ESPN, news of the arrest warrant came out hours after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the 21-year-old defensive tackle was present at the scene of the Jan. 15 crash and later provided "shifting accounts" of the incident to police.

In ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s most recent mock draft on Tuesday, he projected that Carter would be taken by the Chicago Bears with the No. 4 overall pick via a trade with the Indianapolis Colts.

Victor Barbosa

Victor Barbosa is a passionate follower of MLB, the NBA and NFL, with a deep interest in Boston-area teams. He graduated from Springfield College -- The Birthplace of Basketball -- in 2013 with a degree in Communications-Sports Journalism. Previous bylines include FanSided, Heavy and Syracuse

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