NFL prospect Jalen Carter has apparently returned to the league's annual Scouting Combine in Indianapolis after being charged in a fatal car crash that claimed the life of a former Georgia Bulldogs teammate and one of the program's staffers.
Carter, 21, turned himself in to police in Athens, Georgia, late Wednesday night on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and street racing. He paid a $4,000 bond and was released after about 15 minutes.
On Thursday morning, Carter was back at Lucas Oil Stadium to "finish his interviews, measurements and other activities," according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, citing a source.
Carter has been widely projected to be among the first handful of players selected in next month's draft, perhaps as early as first overall, but his legal woes could see him fall down draft boards.
The Apopka, Florida, native is accused of drag racing against the car carrying 24-year-old driver Chandler LeCroy, a UGA football staffer, and offensive lineman Devin Willock, who both died when their vehicle crashed in the early hours of Jan. 15. Two other passengers were also injured in the wreck, which came hours after a parade and ceremony marking the Bulldogs' second consecutive national championship.
A Wednesday report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution claimed that Carter had given shifting accounts to police investigators about his role in the tragic incident, specifically where he was and whether he was racing against the doomed vehicle when it crashed.
The report also said Carter was cited in September for driving at 89 mph in a 45 zone.
In a statement published on social media on Wednesday, Carter took issue with "inaccurate information" circulating in media reports and said he expects to be "fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing."
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Carter was a unanimous All-American selection last season, and a key contributor on the Georgia teams that won back-to-back national titles in 2021 and '22. For his career, the hulking defensive tackle registered 83 tackles, including 18.5 for loss, six sacks, four passes defensed and two forced fumbles in 35 games.