Georgia's Carter will try to protect draft status at pro day

Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter watches as players warm up on the field before the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Jalen Carter’s next step in his attempts to preserve his status as a top prospect in next month’s NFL draft will be Georgia’s pro day on March 15, where he is expected to participate in workouts in front of coaches and general managers.

Carter, a defensive tackle who played a big role in the Bulldogs’ back-to-back national championships, has been widely projected as one of the top picks in the April 27 NFL draft. His draft outlook was potentially clouded by misdemeanor charges of racing and reckless driving in relation to the Jan. 15 crash that killed teammate Devin Willock and a Georgia recruiting staffer, 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy.

Police allege in an arrest warrant that Carter was racing his 2021 Jeep Trackhawk against the 2021 Ford Expedition driven by LeCroy at the time of the crash. Willock was a passenger in the SUV LeCroy was driving.