McGinn's breakdowns
1. ABDUL CARTER, Penn State (6-3 ½, 250, no 40, 1): Third-year junior. "Early in the season he didn't show much but he was dominating after that," one scout said. "I'd take (Aidan) Hutchinson. It's two different body types and two different type of twitches. Carter's more twitchy. Hutchinson is stronger, more rangy. Carter can come off the edge and bend better." Started in 2023 as an off-the-ball linebacker before moving to the edge last season. "It's almost like they did Micah Parsons," said a second scout. "I guess those guys don't know how to coach there. They got the top pick in the draft playing inside linebacker last year. He's a legitimate difference-maker. He's rare with his motor and athletic ability. He does get beat up some. He's on the ground too often. He's just going to keep getting better once he gets more reps (outside)." Started 35 of 42 games, finishing with 172 tackles (41 for loss), 23 sacks, 13 passes defensed and five forced fumbles. "He's, like, really good," said a third scout. "He's f-----g quick. He's got a get-off. Fluid. Elite pass rusher. He closes quickly and has range all over the field. In the run game, he's not the most powerful taking on blocks but, xxxx, the run and chase on him, he's all over. But the pass game is where he makes his money."
Spent the off-season rehabilitating foot and shoulder injuries. "He's just what you want up there (top of the first round)," a fourth scout said. "He's a Pro Bowl player. He's got everything you're looking for as an edge rusher. But he's not a quality guy." That scout was one of four personnel people to express reservations about Carter's makeup. "He's not a great worker," said one. "Plays his ass off on Saturday but he's not a great guy during the week because he's so gifted. I give him credit. He got hurt in the Boise State (playoff) game and had no business playing against Notre Dame. Played, and played his ass off. He's a modern, high-maintenance, big-time player. There are similarities to Micah Parsons as a player and as a kid. Micah was probably a little more malicious coming out." Four-year recruit from Philadelphia. Lettered in basketball as a power forward. "Super athletic," said a fifth scout. "There's a little baggage that comes with him. Some people just shrug their shoulders and say it comes with the territory. Other people were a little more concerned with it. Penn State seemed to dial it back because they obviously wanted him to go top 5 or top 10. There's a pretty strong consensus here that he's the top defender out there." His 23 sacks rank sixth on the Nittany Lions' career list. "If you watch 2023 tape he's a top-10 will linebacker," said one scout. "His rarity is he plays at an elite level at two different positions, one of which is a major elite position: pass rusher. You could just as well stand the guy up and say, 'Hey, go cover this guy,' and he can do it better than anybody else. Dynamite pass rusher. Just natural. In some games he makes like every other play. Now, with guys with this amount of talent, there's times you want a little more out of him."
Greg Cosell
COLLEGIATE PROSPECT EVALUATION SHEET
NAME/YEAR: ABDUL CARTER POSITION: DE COLLEGE: PENN STATE
HEIGHT: 6'3" WEIGHT: 250 NOTES:
2024: ALL TACKLES/TFL/QB SACKS, WEST VIRGINIA, ILLINOIS, WISCONSIN, OHIO STATE,
OREGON
STRENGTHS:
• Outstanding athlete with natural suddenness and explosiveness, Plays with urgency and aggression every play
• Showed great feel for �ming his get off as edge pass rusher, First off the ball wins and Carter was a master of it
• Bend and flexibility to win to the outside clear the arc then flaten his rush path to close to the QB with speed
• Consistently showed quick ac�ve hands as pass rusher both outside versus OT and inside versus OG and OC
• Explosive short space lateral quickness to defeat OT early in the down, Founda�on of many of his TFL plays
• Showed an array of hand usage moves: Arm over, swipe, club rip; Countering inside a big part of his game
• Outstanding balance and body control to stop his feet and re-direct then burst with explosiveness, Powerful
• Play speed and range to make plays with pursuit from sideline-to-sideline, Closing speed in pursuit is special
WEAKNESSES:
• Must learn to extend his arms with force to beter take on and play off blocks in the run game, Keep legs clean
• Needs to develop more of a power game as he transi�ons to the next level, Cannot rely solely on athle�cism
• Some wide 9 rush snaps off the edge where he needed an extra step to flaten his rush path off ini�al bend
• S�ll developing complete pass rush plan, Showed some efficient hand usage but relied primarily on athle�cism
TRANSITION:
Carter 2024 tape showed an uber-athlete with all the athle�c and physical traits to become a dominant edge pass rusher
as a rookie in the NFL, Carter possesses the size and length and natural suddenness and explosiveness and first step get
off to challenge the edge from wide 9 alignments and break down the technique of OT forcing them into reactive recovery
mode before they can set their house and establish needed positioning, Carter possesses the bend and flexibility to get
underneath OT and clear the top of the pass rush arc then the ankle flexion to flatten his rush path and close with burst
and speed to the QB, Carter also showed some inside counters off his ini�al upfield rush but he needs some detail
refinement to maximize that part of his pass rush tool box and while there were strong snapshots of efficient hand usage
he s�ll needs to develop a more complete rush plan so that OT cannot get a feel for his approach and break his rhythm,
What consistently stood out with Carter was his outstanding playing personality with high-level toughness and
compe��veness which showed up in every game with his explosive pursuit making plays from sideline-to-sideline –
Carter has the size and length and athletic profile (although the power element of his game will need to continue to
develop) to line up at 4-3 DE or OLB in 5-2 fronts in addition to being deployed as an inside Joker on 3rd down and pure
pass situations where he can work effectively versus OG and OC (much in the way Micah Parsons is deployed by the
Cowboys)
OTHER:
• Carter played 3 seasons at Penn State making the transi�on from LB to DE for the 2024 season, In 2024 Carter led
the FBS with 24 TFL in addi�on to recording 12 QB sacks while being named First Team All-American
In 2024 Carter made the transi�on from stacked LB to edge defender playing almost 90% of his snaps on the ball on the
edge, On 3rd down and some pure pass situa�ons Carter lined up on the inside as a standup Joker; There were s�ll some
normal down and distance snaps in which Carter lined up as a stacked LB – Both sacks versus Illinois came with Carter
255
deployed as a spy; Sack versus Ohio State LT Donovan Jackson strong snapshot of Carter burst off the edge from wide 9
alignment with efficient hand usage to clear the arc and close to the QB; Sack versus Washington showed that Carter
could ini�ate then play off contact with lateral quickness and effec�ve hand usage (rip move); Sack versus Maryland came
on inside counter off ini�al outside s�ck (move needs more detail and refinement versus NFL OT) – What stood out as the
season progressed was that Carter was more comfortable playing on the ball on the edge and that was reflected in snaps
in which he showed more POA power with beter arm extension
NFL.com
Player Bio
2022: Freshman All-American. Third-team All-Big Ten. Finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award. Led team with 6.5 sacks. Played in all 13 games with 6 starts (56 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 4 PBUs).
2023: First-team All-Big Ten. Started all 13 games (48 tackles, 5.5 TFLs with 4.5 sacks, INT, 5 PBUs, FF).
2024: First-team Associated Press All-American. Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, DL of the Year. First-team All-Big Ten. Finalist for the Bednarik Award (nation's top defender), Lombardi Award (top OL/DL), Ted Hendricks Award (nation's top DE). Led the FBS with 23.5 TFLs, ranked seventh with 12 sacks. Started all 16 games (68 tackles, 4 PBUs, 2 FFs). Switched from off-ball LB to DE after the departure of Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac to the NFL.
Overview
Carter has the urgency and athletic talent to bombard the stat sheet. He's always first out and first into contact after the snap but can dart into gaps or around blocks as a penetrator. He's willing to scrap at the point of attack; additional time in the weight room might be in order for his move up in class. Carter rushes with a rabid, all-game intensity that's hard for opponents to match. He explodes out of the blocks and can force tackles to abandon their technique to go catch him. He can bend and flatten at the top of the rush or hit a game-breaking spin counter inside. He's good with his hands but needs to keep working in that area to prevent long punchers from knocking him off-course. Carter's explosiveness, hunger and body control should have him on track to become a highly productive 3-4 rush linebacker with Pro Bowl talent.
Strengths
Strikes first to gain early advantage at point of attack.
Too sudden to be stopped from B-gap penetration.
Slips and parries blocks with footwork and hand swipes.
Stride length and speed allow for expanded range as playmaker.
Rush talent to spin the sack counter and alter protection schemes.
No false steps or wasted motion in his rush get-off.
Instinctive feel for passing tackle's edge with dip or hand work
Agility for tight cornering and sharp change of direction.
Wicked inside spin gives tackles the blues.
Closing burst and athleticism make him hard to shake for quarterbacks.
Weaknesses
Average size and extended power at point of attack.
Can be engulfed and neutralized by strength and length.
Comes in hot, creating smaller margins for error as tackler.
Displays some ankle tightness in his upfield rush.
Needs to keep schooling up his hands and rush plan.
SIS
Overall
Abdul Carter is an EDGE in Penn State's variable-front defense that uses pressure-man concepts. While he spent his first 2 seasons as an off-ball Linebacker, Carter excelled in his 3rd year as an edge player, both upright and with his hand in the dirt. He played in all 42 games since stepping on campus and started 35. Carter is an ultra-explosive, bendy edge rusher with fluidity and agility that is rarely seen in prospects. He plays with supreme confidence and finishes every snap with force.
Pass Game
Carter is a high-upside pass rusher that has a tantalizing blend of quickness, agility, and ability to bend the corner. On passing downs, he is unblockable without help and easily blazes past his opponents. Though he doesn't have a deep bag of moves, he is adept at using his inside hand to stay clean while turning the corner with fluidity. Carter likes to give himself a two-way go when closing the gap, as he varies his tempo and can swiftly cross the face of tackles that overset in either direction. While he does frequently win with pure finesse, he flashes independent hands and good grip strength when rushing the passer and in the run game.
Unfortunately, Carter does not show a speed-to-power move. Adding one to his toolkit would make him a devastating pass rusher at the next level. He also struggles against opponents with length, occasionally getting swallowed up or stalling out. Carter does rush relentlessly and wears on his opponents throughout the game, frequently feasting in the fourth quarter. He displays effort in every aspect of his game and when he does get too deep on his rush, he does a great job of retracing and closing on the quarterback in a hurry. When dropping into coverage, Carter moves like a safety and has the long speed to stay with some receivers at the next level. He does lack instincts and it is clear that he is more of an athlete than a football player, but any snap he isn't rushing the passer is a win for the offense.
Run Game
When facing the rush, Carter looks to get his hands on opponents first and has some knock-back ability. While his lack of bulk and power will lead to him getting moved off his spot, Carter shows good lateral strength and is able to strain while reading the backfield. He plays with a natural leverage that helps him uproot tight ends and shock loafing linemen. His agility and balance allow him to split doubles, deftly evade cutting blockers, and be a menace on the back side of plays. Unfortunately, he will take himself out of some plays by trying to win with speed and he gets swallowed up. When he does win on those plays though, he will impact the game with splash plays. As a tackler, Carter looks to attack the ball and has been productive, though there have been times when he needs to just get the runner down.
Last Word
Overall, Carter projects to be a sack specialist immediately at the next level and will quickly be able to make an impact on all 3 downs. His best fit will be as an EDGE in a 4-man front and his impact will be greatest on passing downs on a team that can get him into as many individual matchups on the edge as possible. He will hold up as a base-down run defender, though he has room to add strength and may get moved around early in his career. His athleticism and experience give him some scheme versatility and he can easily be dropped into space or used to carry anyone up the seam. Carter's physicality and intensity will bolster any defense's personality and will be on display on special teams as soon as he steps on the field.
MORE
https://nfldraft.sportsinfosolutions.com/players/1082
Brugler
EDGE1 Abdul Carter Penn State, 3JR
HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOL BIRTHDAY AGE HT WT NUM
Philadelphia, PA La Salle Oct 03, 2003 21.56 6036 250 #11
BACKGROUND: Abdul Carter, the fourth of five children (three boys, two girls), was born and raised in North Philadelphia with his parents
(Christopher and Tina). His father played linebacker and defensive end at Bloomsburg University (1994-96). Carter grew up playing Pop Warner
football for the North Philly Aztecs at Hunting Park, a program that has produced several college and NFL players, including tight end Kyle Pitts.
Carter led the Aztecs to the 2011 Pop Warner Super Bowl at Disney World. He was primarily a running back throughout youth football.
Carter enrolled at La Salle College High, an all-boys Catholic school in Wyndmoor, Pa. He earned a spot on varsity as a freshman defensive end and
wide receiver. Carter moved to weakside linebacker as a sophomore and earned all-league honors (53 tackles, seven tackles for loss) while seeing
some time on ofense. He helped the team to eight wins before meeting St. Joseph's Prep (led by quarterback Kyle McCord and wide receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr.) in the 2019 state playofs. Carter earned all-state honors as a junior in an abbreviated seven-game season and finished with 34
tackles, four sacks and one interception. As a senior captain, Carter earned all-league honors for the third straight season and was named team
MVP (78 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble). He helped La Salle to a 9-2 finish and the 2021 conference title. Carter also
lettered in basketball and set several school weight-room records (squat, high jump, long jump).
A four-star recruit, Carter was the 28th-ranked linebacker in the 2022 recruiting class and the No. 10 recruit in Pennsylvania. He became a coveted
recruit during his sophomore year when he received an ofer from Pittsburgh, followed by ofers from Kentucky, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee
and USC. Carter added a few more SEC ofers before narrowing his choice to Ole Miss, Penn State and South Carolina. Head coach James Franklin
sold the Carter family on the idea of using him in a Micah Parsons-like role, and Carter chose the Nittany Lions in July 2021. He was the 12th-ranked
player in Franklin's 2022 recruiting class. The coaching staf initially wanted him to play defensive end, but Carter preferred to stay as an of-ball
linebacker. Between his sophomore and junior seasons, he moved to more of a full-time edge rushing role — and worked out with Parsons to help
the transition. Carter opted to skip his senior year and enter the NFL Draft.
YEAR (GP/GS) TKLS TFL SACK FF PD INT NOTES
2022: (13/6) 56 10.5 6.5 2 4 0 Freshman All-American; Third Team All-Big Ten; led team in sacks; enrolled June 2022
2023: (13/13) 48 5.5 4.5 1 5 1 Second Team All-American; First Team All-Big Ten
2024: (16/16) 68 23.5 12.0 2 4 0 Unanimous Consensus All-American; Big Ten Def. POY; Big Ten DL of year; led FBS in TFL; led Big
Ten in sacks
Total: (42/35) 172 39.5 23.0 5 13 1
HT WT HAND ARM WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP NOTES
COMBINE DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP Med. exclusion: left combine early for
additional medical exams
PRO DAY 6036 250 9 3/4 33 79 1/4 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
STRENGTHS:
● Well-distributed, athletic body type with functional length
● Sudden burst to quickly reach top speed
● Explosive linearly (attack the corner) and laterally (cross the face) to stress blockers
● Uses forward lean to initiate and drive his legs at contact point
● Put multiple efective moves on tape: ghost rip, inside spin, flash-slap, long-arm bull and plenty of arm-over swims
● Shifty body control allows him to efciently transition moves
● Got better and better at controlling outside wrist of tackles and throwing them away
● Downhill closing ability allows him to stand up and blitz through diferent gaps
● Excellent read player on draws and in the run game
● Willingly attacks down to force double teams and free up other defenders
● Former of-ball player; comfortable dropping and covering ground
● Played in all 42 games past three seasons, battling through injuries (see 2024 Notre Dame tape, when he played with a busted left shoulder)
● Highly productive, especially in the backfield (34.6 percent of tackles in 2024 behind the line)
WEAKNESSES:
● Size falls just below what most teams desire on the edge
● Can get twisted up and buried by bigger blockers
● Some spins and chops are predictable and need to be more punctual
● Takes hard-charging pursuit angles, which can open up cutback opportunities for the ball carrier
● Flagged for ofside five times in 2024 (though none over the final eight games)
THE BEAST | BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS 267
● Charged with misdemeanor assault (March 2024) following an altercation with a tow-truck driver; subsequently accepted into pre-trial
intervention program for first-time ofenders; served community service and required to complete anger management course
● NFL Combine medical tests flagged stress reaction in right foot, although doctors recommended rest over surgery
SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Penn State, Carter lined up as a wide rusher in former defensive coordinator Tom Allen's four-man line,
standing up and rushing with his hand on the ground. After initially wanting to stay at of-ball linebacker, he made the transition to an edge role in
2024 and lived up to high expectations, ranking No. 1 in the FBS in tackles for loss (23.5), No. 2 in pressures (66) and No. 7 in sacks (12.5). His
production matches his traits, and his impact was best captured in a 2024 Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame, even though Carter played that game
with an injured left shoulder.
With only one season under his belt as a true edge rusher, Carter needs continued polish in his attack. His arrow is pointing sky high, though,
because of his get-of burst, body twitch and competitive intensity. Despite having average size for run-game responsibilities, he regains his
balance quickly after taking a jolt from blockers and plays with tremendous range to slip blocks and close in a flash. Overall, Carter is a disruptive
presence, because of his explosive nature and how he mixes up his rushes to win with speed, force and a budding arsenal of moves. He projects
as a 1A pass rusher, with a gift for consistently making the quarterback move his feet and making plays in the run game.
GRADE: 1st round (No. 2 overall)
PFF
https://x.com/BobbySkinner_/status/1915566654324445451
Kyle Crabbs 33rd Team
Height: 6030 (unofficial)
Weight: 252 (unofficial)
Year: Junior
Pro Comparison: Will Anderson
Scouting Overview
Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Abdul Carter is one of the most fascinating prospects eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft. Carter has electric traits as a pass rusher and a different gear on the edge that will allow him to threaten pass rush sets with dynamic speed or explosive power.
He's a standout disruption talent who has provided ample optimism amid his transition to playing full-time on the edge after several years at stack linebacker. He's got the violent hands, flexibility, and twitch necessary to find an early role at the pro level. However, he likely needs an implementation and development plan to ensure he lives up to the rare multifaceted talent he's capable of becoming.
2025 NFL Combine Results
TBD
Positives
Absolutely electric second gear as a pass rusher will explode out of a hesitation rush to turn the corner or develop power
Versatility upside is obvious, and has the potential to serve as a true position-fluid player week by week
Offers good body control and agility in close quarters to collect, corner, and rally to the football
Negatives
Run-defending skills are generally behind his abilities as a pass rusher — both off the ball and on the edge
Sorely lacking in block deconstruction and identification skills, which could be a barrier to early playing time outside of long & late downs
Should not be considered a universal prospect; he's not dummy-proof, and unimaginative and disorganized defensive schemes could fail his NFL development
Background
Carter is from Philadelphia, PA, and played his high school football for La Salle College HS. As a prep recruit, Carter earned a 4-star recruiting ranking (247 Sports) as a two-time All-State selection. Carter also participated in the Big 33 Classic before enrolling at Penn State as the latest in the Nittany Lions' proud lineage of talented linebackers. Carter chose PSU over South Carolina, LSU, Kentucky, Michigan, USC, and others.
As a true freshman, Carter suited up for 13 games and started in six of them — posting 6.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss during the 2022 season. Those marks were among the best in the country for true freshman defenders. Carter's passing down production did not grow as a sophomore despite assuming a full-time starting role on the Nittany Lions defense. Still, his role expanded and allowed him to collect First-Team All-Big Ten honors for his efforts in 2023.
Carter undertook a positional transition ahead of the 2024 season, transitioning from an off-ball hybrid linebacker to a more permanent edge presence to rush the passer on the line of scrimmage. After a slow first month of the season, Carter's presence rushing the passer exploded as Penn State reached conference play, and he has lived up to his reputation as a player with supreme pass-rushing potential.
Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter celebrates after a defensive stop during the fourth quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium.
Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter (11) celebrates after a defensive stop during the fourth quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field. Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports.
Tale Of The Tape
Carter has the potential to be a terror of a pass rusher on the edge. This is a smooth, effortless mover with explosive qualities and violent finishing capabilities. Carter's versatility is apparent upon reviewing his college tape, adding exciting appeal to the prospect of what he could someday be at the pro level — but it is worth noting that life in the NFL in such roles would be dramatically different and also harder to replicate. And it is that which makes Carter such a compelling draft profile.
The case for drafting Carter lies in his value in the passing game. He's a former stack linebacker who now lives on the edge, and in both roles, he's proven to have a killer instinct for rushing the quarterback. Whether he's pressing interior gaps from a mugged-up alignment or attacking off the edge, Carter possesses the short-area acceleration to win real estate and leverage on blocks.
Carter's rushes are turbocharged. His instant acceleration in second reaction movements presents a high degree of difficulty for blockers and might be his best overall quality. He has a variety of hand counters on the edge, and this element of his game is unfolding before our very eyes.
Carter's primary winner off the edge is a rip-and-dip combination paired with speed, but he can also flash across the face and has shown some viability with an inside spin counter as well. He is more of a body positioning and angles rusher than a technical rusher, as you'd expect for someone who was used to pressuring interior gaps prior to this season. The seamless way he's adjusted to a different launch point and landmark sets a floor as a rush specialist.
However, the work on early downs currently presents a developmental curve that pro teams must be comfortable with. Carter was not a consistent run defender while working off the ball at Penn State, nor has he played enough to have the needed point-of-attack consistency in the run game while working on the edge.
As a stack backer, Carter played most consistently as a scrape player despite having the ideal build of a fill player. His eagerness to drive and trigger gaps against the run was hit or miss, and when he did, his fill angles and negotiation of blocks had room for improvement. His play processing of the run and play-action pass in these opportunities did not illustrate a ready-made NFL player.
In 2024, on the edge, Carter created negative players with his first-step quickness, but teams willing to run volume at him in the run game with tight ends or pullers can create creases as he struggles to leverage his gap.
The hand power and length to be impactful in this phase of the game are present in his game but not anywhere consistent enough to be a reliable down-by-down defender. He loses pad level and leverage when unblocked initially at the point, providing a large surface area for blockers to attach to. His anchor, when pressed with horizontal contact, is irregular, and pullers, lead blockers, or double teams, as a result, can gouge him.
Ancillary roles for Carter could include some zone drops in simulated pressure packages. He's been charged with playing in space during his early seasons. While the tackling and instincts moving backward don't provide a future full-time pathway, he's athletic enough and well enough versed in dropping to effectively reach a hook landmark and take away a hot throw based on a pressure look.
The challenge is going to be finding a home for him on running downs. Carter's assimilation to a defense is likely to be a gradual one but considering how fresh he is in his current role, there's little reason to doubt he cannot unlock these phases of his game.
He's got the physical attributes to do it all — it is more a matter of developing a feel for run combinations and block-shedding reflexes in linear hand-to-hand combat.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Carter projects best as a designated pass rusher early in his career. With his stature and frame, he will be best served living on the edge at the next level. His rushing instincts are obvious and should yield wonderful results, even early on, making him an obvious candidate for a designated pass rusher.
His full-time role on early downs must be earned with more development in block deconstruction, point-of-attack leveraging, and play diagnosis. Penetration schemes can lean more into his athletic profile and charge him with creating havoc in the backfield.
Grade: 86.50/100.00, Top-10 Overall Value
Big Board Rank: 2
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