Pats Pulpit
Carter is one of the top overall players in this draft.
The New England Patriots used free agency to bolster their defense, adding potential starters and playmakers at all three levels. But after finishing the 2024 season last in the league in sacks, New England still appears to be missing a dominant pass rusher off the edge.
In order to fill the need, the team could dip into a deep and talented group of draft prospects along the edge. That class is highlighted by Penn State’s Abdul Carter, who is one of the top overall players in the draft.
Name: Abdul Carter
Position: Edge
School: Penn State
Opening day age: 21 (10/03/2003)
Measurements: 6’3”, 250 pounds, 9 3/4” hand size, 33” arm length, 79 1/4” wingspan, N/A Relative Athletic Score
Career statistics: 42 games (35 starts) | 1,836 defensive snaps, 209 special teams snaps | 172 tackles, 39.5 TFLs, 5 forced fumbles, 112 quarterbacks pressures (23 sacks, 17 hits, 72 hurries) | 44 targets, 32 catches surrendered (72.2%), 304 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 7 PBUs
Accolades: Unanimous Consensus All-American (2024), Big Ten Defensive POY (2024), Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year (2024), Second Team All-American (2023), First Team All-Big Ten (2023), Freshman All-American (2022), Third Team All-Big Ten (2022)
A three-time all-league defender in High School who also lettered in basketball, Carter stayed home in Pennsylvania as he committed to Penn State in 2022. Starting his collegiate career as an off-ball linebacker, Carter played in all 13 games as a true freshman and went on to led the Nittany Lions with 6.5 sacks to go with 10.5 tackles for loss.
Carter’s sophomore season saw him start all 13 games still at the linebacker position. Despite his statistical production taking a slight hit, Carter’s performance still earned him first-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-American honors.
Entering his junior season, Carter made the transition from an off-ball linebacker to edge rusher and saw his play and production skyrocket. Despite being relatively new to the position, Carter started all 16 games and led the Big Ten with 12.0 sacks and 23.5 TFLs as he became perhaps the best pass rushing threat in college football drawing comparisons to former Nittany Lion Micah Parsons.
Carter became Penn State’s 15th Unanimous Consensus All-American — the first since Saquon Barkley in 2017 — while also being named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. The 21-year old then opted to skip his senior season and attend the NFL Draft.
Expected round: 1 (Top 4) | Consensus big board: No. 3 | Patriots meeting: Combine + 30 visit
Strengths: Carter’s game is built around his freakish athletic ability which allows him to explode off the line of scrimmage bend around corners. Among qualified rushers last season, Carter ranked fourth in the FBS with a 22.6 percent pass rush win rate, often winning to the outside with multiple moves — including his ghost move and inside-out fake where...
