Penn State Nittany Lions pass rusher Abdul Carter ranks among the top prospects in this year’s NFL draft class, with most experts projecting him as a top-three selection in April.
Carter led the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) with 24 tackles for loss in 2024. He recorded 12.0 sacks, four passes defended and 68 total tackles (43 solo).
The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year helped the Nittany Lions finish with a 13-3 record and reach the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl.
ESPN NFL draft analyst Matt Miller recently compared Carter to Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons during an episode of “NFL Live,” calling Carter “by far the best player in this draft.”
“Micah Parsons now is who I think Abdul Carter can become,” Miller said.
"Micah Parsons now is who I think Abdul Carter can become."@nfldraftscout analyzes how Carter's game can mirror the Dallas linebacker in the NFL ✍️ pic.twitter.com/Doff8jD0a7
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 26, 2025
Parsons, also a Penn State product, has made the Pro Bowl in all four of his NFL seasons. During that span, he’s accumulated 52.5 sacks, 112 quarterback hits, 63 tackles for loss, nine passes defended and nine forced fumbles.
The Cowboys linebacker has earned First Team All-Pro honors twice and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2023.
At Penn State, Parsons won the Butkus–Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award and was named the 2019 Cotton Bowl Classic defensive MVP after recording 14 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles.
Carter and Parsons share similar physical attributes. Both stand 6-foot-3, with Parsons weighing 245 pounds while Carter is listed at 250 pounds or slightly more.
Carter plays with exceptional explosiveness and an intensity level that creates problems for opposing quarterbacks.
