University of Georgia standout Jalen Carter returned to the NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday but was not involved in any on-field activity just hours after being arrested on reckless driving charges.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Carter, possibly the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, stemming from the Jan. 15 car crash that killed one of his teammates and a member of the recruiting staff.
Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy, who worked in the recruiting department, were killed in the crash.
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Georgia’s Jalen Carter looks on during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 2, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Carter was initially in Indianapolis to participate in the combine, but rushed back to Atlanta after the injunction was issued. He was booked at 11:33 pm ET at the Athens-Clarke County Jail and released 16 minutes later.
The 21-year-old is accused of racing his 2021 Jeep Trackhawk against the 2021 Ford Expedition driven by 24-year-old LeCroy, causing the accident. The accident occurred just hours after the Bulldogs celebrated their second straight championship with a parade ceremony.
LeCroy was traveling at 104 mph with a BAC of .197, more than double the legal limit in the state of Georgia.
Carter hopes to clear his name.
Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter waves to the crowd before the national championship playoff game against TCU on January 9, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
«This morning I received a phone call from the Athens, Georgia Police Department informing me that two misdemeanor warrants have been issued against me for reckless driving and racing,» Carter said in a statement Wednesday. «There have also been numerous media reports circulating this morning containing inaccurate information about the tragic events of January 15, 2023. I intend to return to Athens to answer the misdemeanor charges against me and ensure that I appear the complete and accurate truth. There is no doubt in my mind that when all the facts are known, I will be completely exonerated of any wrongdoing.»
Carter is listed as the top overall prospect in this year’s draft: The Chicago Bears own the No. 1 pick but are reportedly open to buying it.
Jalen Carter of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates after defeating the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 9, 2023. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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Carter was a five-star recruit from Apopka High School in Florida. He was a unanimous All-American and All-SEC First-Teamer this season. In 2021, he made the All-SEC second team.
If Carter is the first pick, it will be the second year in a row that a Georgia Bulldog was taken to start the draft. He Jacksonville Jaguars he took defensive end Travon Walker for the first time overall last year.