Penn State Edge Abdul Carter Has Glaring Red Flags

First Round Mock’s Rajvir Bal looks at Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, a consensus highly graded pre-season prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft, and walks away giving him a lower grade.

Penn State has had some pretty great hybrid pass-rushers over the years. In 2021, there was edge rusher Micah Parsons who was selected in the first round by the Dallas Cowboys. Then in this past draft, edge rusher Chop Robinson went first round to the Miami Dolphins.

I expect both of these men to have busts in Canton Ohio at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

So, as I start my search for the top defender in the 2025 NFL Draft (the title belongs to Parsons in 2021 and Robinson in 2024), I will now reveal what I saw in Carter, who has been playing linebacker, but is being moved to edge rusher this season and is set to take on the legacy of his esteemed predecessors.

Background

Carter was a 4-star recruit out of high school. He grew up in Pennsylvania and committed to Penn State in 2021.

During his time at Penn State, this is a look at his production:

2022:

13 games, 56 tackles (36 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 4 passes defended and 2 forced fumbles

2023:

13 games, 48 tackles (25 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 5 passes defended, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble

Carter ranks in the 75th percentile for his height and the 30th percentile for his weight per NFLDraftBuzz.com. It is worth mentioning these percentile numbers will go down when he changes positions.

#11 Abdul Carter 6-foot-3, 235 pounds
Rajvir Bal’s 2025 NFL Draft Grade: Third-Round (I wouldn’t select him)
Projected by 84.5% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of May 22, 2024 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2023 game film reviewed: Michigan, Ohio State, West Virginia, Illinois, and Iowa (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

The Good

Class A athlete. His sprint speed jumps off the film (when he’s going 100%). His athleticism is another great trait and I did see true flashes of what could be greatness. While his versatility is a question mark because of his lack of experience at certain positions, in the right scheme it could serve as an asset. Think about how Dan Quinn used Micah Parsons in Dallas when he was the defensive coordinator there.

The Bad

Carter has so many issues on his film that make me question how a team could view him as anywhere near blue chip. I’m not seeing that “dawg” in him. There are plays he takes off. The lack of effort is where I believe most of his issues stem from. I noticed his tendency to get stuck on blocks because he fails to fire up to the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. He lacks the technique high-level NFL pass rushers possess. This technique will have to get better for the upcoming year. Offenses seem to fool him with simple counter or option plays. His inexperience with the edge position shows up.

Final Thoughts for now

Before turning on the film, I had huge questions about Carter concerning his draftability. Carter was charged with simple assault and harassment of a tow truck driver according to an April 25, 2024 report by WGAL.

Add in the change in positions and my concern level increases.

I don’t think the attempt to change positions in response to Robinson’s departure is going to go the way Penn State expects. Carter is an athlete, not a football player. He can jump high and run fast. However, I don’t care about his performance in gym shorts. The elite game film talent isn’t there. At this point, I have removed him from my draft board. However, if a team was in love with his athleticism, I could understand a third-round pick.

Rajvir Bal is a high school student from the Virginia area. He grew up a rabid Washington Redskins fan, attending more than 30 games, and has enjoyed the team’s high points and low points throughout his life. He plays varsity football and basketball. Rajvir has taken an interest in the NFL Draft since middle school when his team picked Montez Sweat and Dwayne Haskins in the first round. His favorite NFL player ever flips between Rob Gronkowski and Brett Favre, and his favorite athlete is LeBron James. He has been writing his own scouting reports since 2020, and is excited for the opportunities FirstRoundMock provides.