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Abdul Carter

Penn State’s Abdul Carter, Colorado’s Travis Hunter Top Prospects?

February 7th, 2025 at 9:19pm CST by Ely Allen

The college football season is officially over; the playoffs have concluded, and the all-star games showed off a number of talented under-the-radar prospects. While those games are important for fringe first-round prospects looking to solidify their draft stock or players who will end up filling out the middle rounds, NFL scouts have been asserting some opinions at the top of the board. Namely, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports rumors he’s been hearing that Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado athlete Travis Hunter have been distancing themselves as the top two prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Carter has been shooting up draft boards recently. The Nittany Lions pass rusher has long been seen as a likely first-round pick, but as of late, Carter has seen his odds to be selected in the first three picks escalate gradually. At this point, Carter is being considered as an option for the No. 1 overall pick. This surge from Carter comes on the heels of a breakout, unanimous All-American season. After combining for 11.0 sacks and 17 tackles for loss in his first two seasons in Happy Valley, Carter reached career highs in his junior season with 12.0 sacks and 24 tackles for loss last year alone.

As for the Heisman Trophy winner, Hunter, there’s not much question as to why he’s shot up draft boards. After playing both cornerback and wide receiver for the Buffaloes at an elite level in 2024, Hunter doesn’t enter the draft as either the top wide receiver or cornerback prospect on many boards. His ability to contribute at both positions, though, has the potential to elevate him over the top prospects at each position.

Hunter likely won’t be playing both positions full-time in the NFL, though. As impressive as it was to watch Hunter often play every snap on both sides of the ball in Boulder, doing that at the NFL-level is a whole different monster. Many scouts will be evaluating Hunter at both positions, as Lance Zierlein of NFL.com plans to do, but Zierlein also mentions that most teams have been looking at him as a cornerback who can take some snaps at wide receiver, which confirms rumors we’ve heard in the past.

It’s not uncommon to see a pass rusher trending at the top of draft boards, and Hunter’s versatility makes him an intriguing prospect that could provide value at multiple positions. While the two may have established themselves as the top two talents on the board, they will still have to compete with the overwhelming push for quarterbacks at No. 1 overall. Miami’s Cam Ward has been trending with the best odds to be the first overall pick, and Hunter’s teammate Shedeur Sanders has made a strong case of his own for a high draft slot.

Carter and Hunter may be distancing themselves as the top two overall prospects, but position need may push them down a pick or two. In addition, there’s still plenty of time for other first-round talents to close the gap and make their own cases for a spot in the top five.

Penn State’s Abdul Carter Will Enter Draft

January 10th, 2025 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Penn State’s run toward the national championship came to an end Thursday night. As a result, the team’s underclassmen are now able to turn their attention to the draft; as expected, one of the top prospects in the 2025 class will turn pro.

Edge rusher Abdul Carter has decided to enter April’s draft, as noted by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The junior has long been expected to take that route once his season ended, and he is now on track to be one of the first players selected on either side of the ball. Carter enjoyed a stellar 2024 campaign, the first in which he transitioned from inside linebacker to defensive end.

The 6-3, 260-pounder racked up 11 sacks across his first two seasons but he surpassed that total this year. His sack during last light’s CFP semifinal loss to Notre Dame was his 12th of the campaign; Carter also registered 24 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles during the season. Those totals helped him win the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award in addition to consensus All-American honors. He is the first Nittany Lion to earn the latter honor since Saquon Barkley in 2017.

Several edge rushers are considered locks to go in the first round but Carter has long been considered the best option at the position. He sits at the top of ESPN’s Scouts Inc. board, while Mel Kiper slots him second overall behind only two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter. No shortage of teams will show interest over the coming months as they evaluate this year’s top prospects.

With the Titans, Browns and Giants occupying the top three spots in the 2025 draft order, quarterback figures to be a position of interest at the top of the board. Both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders may hear their names called before Carter does, but once teams without an immediate QB need are on the clock – the Patriots and Jaguars respectively own the fourth and fifth selections – he will certainly be a name to watch.