Georgia football junior defensive tackle Jalen Carter declared for the NFL draft hours after a 65-7 win over the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football National Championship, the 21-year-old wrote in a Tuesday tweet.

“My dream since childhood has been to play in the NFL and without my mother this wouldn't be possible,” Carter wrote. “I am beyond blessed to have her in my corner.

“With all that being said, I would like to announce that I am declaring for the NFL draft. While I am excited for the next chapter, I will always be a dawg.”

The No. 1-rated player in the 2023 NFL draft by ESPN football analyst Mel Kiper earned 16 solo tackles, seven tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in his final season for the Bulldogs, according to Football Reference. Carter played a key part of a Georgia defense that earned two National Championships in a row and allowed 25 points between Alabama and TCU in the last two title games.

The former five-star recruit out of Apopka, Florida was heavily recruited by Southeastern Conference teams before he ultimately chose the Georgia football program. Now-Arkansas Razorbacks special teams coordinator Scott Fountain and Georgia defensive line coach Tray Scott took point in Carter's recruitment for the Bulldogs as the primary and secondary recruiters, according to 247Sports. Auburn and Alabama threw two recruiters at him, while Florida State, Miami and Ole Miss all sent one.

Carter first said he “felt 100%” after recovering from an ankle injury just days before the Peach Bowl vs. the Ohio State Buckeyes. The junior tackle described the frustrations of having to deal with an injury that could never seem to fully heal to ESPN.

“I just had to get a lot of treatment,” Carter said. “I had to really change my mindset and try to get better.”