In early August, just as the first NFL preseason games are set to kick-off, the league captures the news cycle with its annual Top 100 List. The release always produces great fodder among fans and analysts alike, because the list is polled and 100 percent voted on by the players themselves.
The Philadelphia Eagles are oozing with talent entering the 2024 regular season. NFL players ranked five Eagles — QB Jalen Hurts (15), WR A.J. Brown (21), RT Lane Johnson (41), RB Saquon Barkley (86) and WR DeVonta Smith (90) — on this year’s Top 100 list, and that’s not including some snubs like 2023 selection Darius Slay.
ESPN put out its own projections for the NFL’s top 100 players in 2024 on Monday. The Eagles had six total players make that list, including a surprise selection on defense.
Joining the five aforementioned Eagles players on ESPN’s list was second-year defensive tackle Jalen Carter at No. 100 overall. The former Georgia star is projected to rack up six sacks and 44 total tackles in 2024.
Here's what NFL analyst Tim McManus had to say about Carter in the writeup:
Carter burst onto the scene as a rookie last season, generating 3.5 sacks in his first five games. He cooled off over the second half of the season but left little doubt that he has All-Pro potential. He's been a handful to block all offseason, offering promise that a bust-out season lies ahead in 2024.
Multiple analysts are expecting big things out of Carter this season. Jordan Dajani of CBSSports.com recently released his All-Under-25 Defensive Team, ranking the best defensive players in the NFL under the age of 25 entering the official start of the 2024 regular season. Carter was mentioned among Dajani’s first-team selections.
Carter showed a natural ability to get to the passer during his rookie season. According to ESPN Analytics and NFL Next Gen Stats, Carter defeated his blocks within 2.5 seconds on 16 percent of his pass rushing snaps.
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