by Ryan Fowler
Scouting Reports
Abdul Carter NFL Draft Scouting Report
Abdul Carter, LB/EDGE, Penn State
Size:
Height: 6’3” (v) | Weight: 262 lbs (v)
Accomplishments:
First-Team All-Big Ten (2023) • Second-Team All-American (2023) • Second-Team All-Big Ten (2022)
“Abdul Carter’s instincts and playmaking ability in multiple facets set the stage for a potential All-Pro, game-changing type of defender at the next level.”
Strengths:
Pass-rush potential
Downhill trigger
Instincts
Hips and awareness in coverage
Ability to redirect
Concerns:
Utilization of length
Will approach contact with high pads
Inconsistent hand counters
Film Analysis:
Abdul Carter enters the draft process as one of the country’s most explosive, productive, versatile, and athletically gifted prospects on either side of the ball. After aligning primarily as an off-ball backer the last two years, Carter made a seamless transition to EDGE, amassing 51 pressures and 11 sacks in the Big Ten. Carter primarily aligned outside the shoulder of the left tackle in 2024 but also accrued snaps on the opposite side, and in the box at his original home.
A gifted football player, Carter is an athletic, long, and rangy defender who showcases the ability to sniff out run concepts and make plays downfield in coverage. While Carter’s role will remain that of a hybrid player due to his ability to play in space, his potential as a pass rusher and off-ball linebacker showcases one of the draft’s elite defenders.
As a pass rusher, Carter’s potential is limitless. He has shown the ability to win as an athlete with explosion and speed, while also displaying the hands and bend to win technically. Carter moves extremely well at his size, and can often win the rep with the quickness and agility of his lower half before he ever engages opponents. He has displayed the ability to win with power, but his elite traits are showcased in his ability to fire off of the snap and footwork as he works to the top of his rush. He’s a nightmare to counter in isolated scenarios and will likely force teams at the NFL level to chip or double his side early in his career. He will dominate less athletic tackles at the pro level who can’t slide, shuffle, anchor, and maintain balance at high speeds.
Against the run, Carter is sensational in sniffing out gaps and wrangling down ball-carriers at or behind the line of scrimmage. He will often beat pulling guards or tackles to the alley. Violent trigger downhill that arrives with a physicality you like to see in players of his stature. Arrives at contact high at times, but is a technically refined tackler who uses a variety of ways to get running backs to the turf. His experience as a linebacker showcases well in working off of or working around lineman to find ball-carriers. Footwork and agility are extremely smooth when sliding down the line of scrimmage before triggering. Carter also has the necessary burst to run with and chase down athletes in the fringe areas.
While Carter projects immediately as a core edge defender, his snaps in coverage showcase a unique type of athlete within a front seven with the potential to make an impact at a variety of spots. Carter’s head remains on a swivel to locate potential zone sitters or crossers behind his ear and he has fantastic playmaking ability and fluid hips to redirect and accelerate toward the play or vacant targets. Minimal work in space compared to prior years, but his tipped pass up the seam vs. Ohio State last fall displayed his athleticism and playmaking prowess. Experience in man and zone that will translate to the next level. No issues in throwing Carter on an island against an RB or TE.
Concerns remain about Carter’s pad level against the run, where more physical ball-carriers will play through his contact to gain extra yards. Playing with and exploding via added depth in his lower half at contact will assist in that area. Utilizing length and hand counters when met with free blockers will help in locating and attacking ball-carriers. The turning of his shoulder to deke linemen will often cause Carter to lose vision of the play. It’s a minor issue, however.
Overall, Carter’s blend of production at multiple levels within a defense showcases an elite prospect. Carter’s instincts and playmaking ability in multiple facets set the stage for a highly intriguing chess piece that can play all over a front seven, with projectable traits that could see him evolve into an All-Pro type of defender.
Prospect Projection: Day 1 — Rare, All-Pro
Written by: Ryan Fowler
Exposures: Ohio State (2024), Oregon (2024) Maryland (2024), Illinois (2024), Ohio State (2023), Rutgers (2023), West Virginia (2023), Ole Miss (2023)