"I knew with my talent and how I could take it and I could come back and bless this city either with the football team or kids in the area," said Carter this past weekend in a one-on-one interview at his house with Spectrum Sports 360.

Jalen has had to move fast in the last few years, and he knew after this past season it was time to declare for the draft, it's been a process he couldn't have gone through without his family.

"My mom they all have been talking about it. We had an easter dinner everybody is talking about it, everybody is happy it just brought a smile to me face," said Carter.

Jalen's mom Toni Brown has seen it firsthand.

"The village is so strong and so solid and we are all there to make sure we take care of him and support him in every endeavor of his life," said Brown.

The time when Jalen needed his family most was over the last few months when he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing in connection with a January 15 car crash where a teammate and staff member passed away.

The way Jalen deals with that and the upcoming draft is through those around him.

"I think my family kept me calm with all that was going on. We have real conversations and there is a lot of people you can’t be real with, I feel family is one you can be real with," he said.

Having his family there for him has allowed him to focus on the teams interested in taking him on Thursday. 

"It’s been cool, fun and exciting. It has always been that I’m going to keep grinding just working hard the film is going to show and if a team likes me, if I get picked first then I get picked first," said Carter.

The anticipation will come to an end tomorrow night for Carter and his family in Kansas City during the first round of the NFL draft.