Penn State’s Abdul Carter is heading to the NFL.
One of the top prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft declared for the draft in the hours after the Nittany Lions’ season ended against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. Notre Dame won 27-24 on a late field goal to advance to the College Football Playoff national championship game against either Texas or Ohio State.
Carter has been perhaps the best edge rusher in college football this season. He had five tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack against Notre Dame. He finishes the season with 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks and was an All-American.
Carter played the game with a left shoulder injury. His shoulder and arm appeared to be wrapped on Thursday after he suffered the injury in the Fiesta Bowl against Boise State. Carter was injured in the first half of the game and was on the sidelines for the second half of PSU’s 31-14 win.
In Yahoo Sports’ latest mock draft, Carter was the No. 7 overall pick to the New York Jets. Here’s what Nate Rice had to say about Carter.
General manager Joe Douglas may be gone, but the Jets continue to take defensive linemen. Carter can be up-and-down against the run, but he has the high-end pass rushing potential and could replenish a once-elite unit that must evolve its cast of characters.
Carter had 11 sacks over his first two seasons at Penn State and finishes with 23 career sacks. He had 68 total tackles this season and was the team’s fourth-leading tackler. Penn State finished the season at 13-3 after losing to Ohio State in the regular season and Oregon in the Big Ten championship game.
