STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 30: Abdul Carter #11 of the Penn State Nittany Lions lines up against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half at Beaver Stadium on November 30, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Abdul Carter Best Defensive Player in 2025 NFL Draft

March 16, 2025 | Daniel Kelly | Articles

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UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – OCTOBER 05: Penn State linebacker Abdul Carter (11) looks into the backfield as he lines up to rush the quarterback during the UCLA Bruins versus Penn State Nittany Lions game on October 5, 2024 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, PA. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Hall of Fame pass rusher Lawrence Taylor was fast. I watched him growing up. Pass rushers Micah Parsons (Cowboys) and Nolan Smith (Eagles) looked faster. I evaluated both coming out. Penn State defender Abdul Carter looks the fastest.

Carter looks like he was shot out of a cannon.

It’s scary.

Explosive first step

Elite Athleticism

Smokin’ straight-line speed

Tremendous burst and close

Whether he’s wrecking the pocket, blowing up a screen pass, or running plays out on the perimeter, these traits show up repeatedly.

It’s a lot like watching one of those National Geographic shows when a lion leaps out of the tall grass and pounces on his prey.

It’s fun to watch.

Critics will point out his weaknesses, and so will I, but first, the positives.

A constant threat of disruption

SACKS:

2024: 12

2023: 4.5

2022: 6.5

HURRIES: (PFF)

2024: 43

2023: 18

2022: 11

It’s not just the sacks and the hurries, though.

It’s what I call “The Carter Factor.”

I can feel it when I’m watching him ⎯opposing offenses are so preoccupied with this guy. His speed ⎯his skill set. Carter is in their heads. He makes quarterbacks uncomfortable. Where’s Carter at? Who’s got him? What’s he going to do next? Meanwhile, he moves around and keeps offenses guessing while attacking them from different vantage points.

It’s all the other little things his presence produces too⎯ stuff like the errant throws and the holding penalties, etc.

More than a pass rusher

While the critics will rightfully point out that Carter is inconsistent on run defense ⎯It’s also true he’s pretty serious about it.

2024: 68 tackles (43 solo)

Carter also produced 23.5 tackles for a loss (tops in the FBS). I saw plenty of plays where Carter fought off blocks hard to make tackles or assists.

Address the concerns

No doubt ⎯giving up 50-100 pounds to offensive tackles produces inconsistencies disengaging from pass and run blocks when Carter’s initial bag of tricks proves fruitless.

He gets locked up too often.

It was hard for me to understand the plays he let his foot off the gas. I’m hard on prospects if I sense laziness, but I’m not getting that lazy streak vibe from Carter that I got from Parsons at Penn State. I’m convinced most of it was scheme discipline and Carter lulling offenses to sleep before he’d strike again. However, I didn’t like when he pulled up and didn’t take the kill shots that were his to take. That was my least favorite part of his game.

One other thing ⎯

I wasn’t thrilled with him in the playoffs either. Oregon got super physical with Carter and pretty much neutralized him (v. Josh Conerly Jr.), and then the shoulder injury happened against Boise State ⎯he didn’t even look like himself the following week against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl.

#11 Abdul Carter 6-foot-3, 250 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2025 Final NFL Draft Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 96.2% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of March 16, 2025 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

M (Medical Risk)

Right foot stress reaction

Left shoulder

Former NFL Scout Loves Abdul Carter (2023: 13 games evaluated)

2024 game film evaluated: West Virginia, Bowling Green, Kent State, Illinois, UCLA, USC, Ohio State, Washington, Purdue, Minnesota, Maryland, Oregon, SMU, Boise State, and Notre Dame (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

Note: Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year

Note: Pro Day workout March 28

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Complete three-down edge. Athletic. Flexible. Twitchy. Quick. Unpredictable. Desire. Strategized rush plan. Sometimes standing up⎯often hand down in the dirt. Mostly worked v. left tackles. Sometimes v. right tackles. Moves to 3rd down off-ball linebacker looking for the most vulnerable spot to exploit or to “spy.” Changes gears. Shifty. Active hands. Pass rushing toolbox: Rip, spin, swim, chop, “X” stunts, slap and go. Effective getting under the tackle’s pad level and gliding into the pocket. Slippery working inside gaps. Emotional. Firey. A lot of pent-up energy. Fairly sure tackler. Sometimes loses sight of play flow. Drops into zone and can run in pass coverage.

Final words

Carter is an elite difference-maker.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.