Warrant issued for arrest of top draft prospect Jalen Carter

INDIANAPOLIS — Warrants were issued Wednesday for the arrest of Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the top-five prospect who seemed to be the one of the best fits for the Bears in next year’s draft.

Carter was charged with reckless driving and racing, both misdemeanors, by the Athens-Clarke County (Ga.) Police Department in relation to the death of Georgia football player Devin Willock and staffer Chandler LeCroy in January.

According to a police statement, an investigation found that LeCroy and Carter were racing after leaving downtown Athens around 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 17. Both vehicles switched lanes, drove in a turn lane and in opposite lanes of travel. The investigation found that LeCroy was traveling at 104 mph before the crash and had a blood-alcohol concentration of .197 percent.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Wednesday morning that Carter left the scene of the crash before emergency personnel arrived, only to return less than two hours later.

Carter was scheduled to speak to the media at 10:30 a.m. at the NFL Scouting Combine but did not arrive.

Former Bulldogs linebacker Nolan Smith got emotional Wednesday when talking about Willock.

“That’s my guy,” Smith said at the Combine. “I get sensitive talking about it just because I love him. And he never did anything wrong in his three years. He was supposed to graduate.”

In a statement, Georgia coach Kirby Smart called the charges “deeply concerning, especially as we are still struggling to cope with the devastating loss of two beloved members of our community.”

Carter and Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson were considered the two top defensive prospects in this year’s draft. The Bears prefer to trade the No. 1 overall pick to a quarterback-needy team. Wednesday’s development, though, could affect just far the Bears would be willing to slide in the draft to land a standout defender.