Todd McShay’s ‘character issues’ analysis of Jalen Carter in Georgia sparks criticism and confusion

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Todd McShay may have already derided the analysis of fictional drafts.

McShay has earned a reputation as a solid drafts analyst over the years, with the ESPN reporter providing quality analysis for the draft season. He may have missed the mark with Jalen Carter from Georgia.

Carter is expected to be a top 5 pick next April, with the DT expected to easily translate his devastating play to the next level. McShay is apparently a huge fan of his game.

McShay, however, offered a bit of empty and controversial analysis on Carter this week, slapping it with the tag “character issues” and offering a clumsy “warning” for teams to avoid drafting it.

Todd McShay says Jalen Carter has character issues that could hurt him in draft

while simultaneously projecting Jalen Carter to go to the Seahawks with the No. 2 overall pick.

Was McShay in the sauce during this episode? pic.twitter.com/uk14dBLBeb

Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) December 14, 2022

If you’re going to bring character issues to the table, it’s best to cite true, factual examples, especially when it comes to a person’s livelihood and future. This Todd McShay-Jalen Carter take isn’t going well pic.twitter.com/4ZXmRCEKtP

Frank Sulkowski WJCL (@TheBigGuyWJCL) December 15

McShay’s quotes on Carter in full:

It’s interesting with Carter. We all agree, it doesn’t take a great scout to figure out he’s a phenomenal player on the inside. With Carter, there are character issues: does he get along with everyone? What does he like to manage in the locker room? These kinds of problems.

I know it’s early in the process, but I’m warning everyone that Carter is going to be kind of a hot name when we talk about some of the intangible aspects of it.

I think, though, with Pete Carroll sitting here at #2, who has a long history of taking guys who have questionable character in quotes and then developing them and making them work, it makes a lot of sense to me . But that will be the big discussion. It’s not about his skill, his size, or his explosive take-off and finishing as a passer. This is the character, ‘Do we want to bring this guy into the building?’

MORE: NFL Draft big board The best available players will come next April

That said, McShay still had Carter mocked the Seahawks at No. 2 overall, so clearly the concerns weren’t strong enough to knock him off the draft board at all.

It’s unclear exactly where the character criticism is coming from, unless McShay has a very well-placed source somewhere in Georgia’s locker room. Carter has no incidents with his teammates or his training, a clear public record and appears to be loved in the locker room.

In fact, Carter spent time during the offseason giving back to young people in his hometown of Apopka, Florida, delivering school supplies and hosting a football camp for his high school.

pic.twitter.com/3tNWm8MCyX

Jalen Carter (@breadmanjalen) August 6, 2022

This summer, Jalen Carter and his mom organized a football camp for the kids at the high school where Carter graduated.

Big red flag character problem here. pic.twitter.com/wkqa2kLOWC

Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) December 14, 2022

If it’s “character issues”, then every team should sign up.

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