Abdul Carter NFL Draft 2025: Scouting Report for Penn State Edge

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 250

HAND: N/A

ARM: N/A

WINGSPAN: N/A

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40-YARD DASH: N/A

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: N/A

BROAD: N/A

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POSITIVES

— Switched from off-ball linebacker to EDGE this season. He is an impressive athlete with room to grow as a pass-rusher down the line.

— Impressive burst off the line of scrimmage to win with speed around the edge.

— Has shown a very good dip-rip move as a pass-rusher, and he has the quickness and change of direction skills to develop a good inside stick move if his use of hands improves.

— Physical and aggressive style; plays with his hair on fire and isn't afraid to run into blockers going full speed.

— Occasionally uses his quickness to make offensive linemen miss against the run.

— Has experience in coverage and the athleticism to drop in coverage as a standup outside linebacker.

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NEGATIVES

— Still raw as an edge player and learning how to play on the line of scrimmage, both as a run defender and pass-rusher.

— Needs to learn how to use his hands and arms as a rusher to add moves to his arsenal.

— Block recognition against the run is a work in progress. He's often late to see pullers and doesn't consistently put himself in a good position to take on blocks.

— Could afford to add some size and strength to improve his anchor against offensive linemen in the run game. Also needs to take on blocks with a wider base.

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NOTES

— 4-star recruit in the 2022 class, per 247Sports

— Arrested for misdemeanor assault in April 2024, attended rehabilitation program, per StateCollege.com

— 2024 Unanimous All-American, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-Big Ten

— 2023 All-Big Ten

— 2022 All-Big Ten; Freshman All-American

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OVERALL

After primarily playing off-ball linebacker during his first two seasons in college, Abdul Carter is still relatively new to playing on the edge

Carter is an elite athlete, which gives him a high ceiling as a pass-rusher at the next level. His get-off is very impressive as he explodes off the line of scrimmage and can win with speed around the edge when times up the snap. Also, he's shown a very good dip-rip move and the potential to develop a stick move as an inside counter with his movement skills.

However, his use of hands as a pass rusher is still a work in progress at this point. He showed growth down the stretch of the season when it came to working offensive linemen's hands, but he is more reliant on using speed and athleticism to put pressure on the quarterback right now.

This can come with more time and experience on the edge, but Carter's block recognition against the run isn't there yet, which is most noticeable against pullers. He'll often get caught staring in the backfield instead of keeping his eyes down the line of scrimmage when he's unblocked.

Additionally, Carter lacks the strength to get extension and consistently hold his ground against offensive tackles in the running game. However, he did improve in this area toward the end of the 2024 season and has room for growth on his frame to pack on some muscle.

With that, Carter can immediately contribute as a pass-rusher to begin his NFL career and should develop into a complete player with more reps on the edge.

Schematically, he'd be a good fit as a standup outside linebacker in odd fronts. He also can be used to drop in coverage occasionally, given his athleticism and background as an off-ball linebacker.

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GRADE: 9.1 (Top-10 Player)

OVERALL RANK: 2

POSITION RANK: EDGE1

PRO COMPARISON: Von Miller

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

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Prospect workout numbers, measurables (40-yard dash, hand size, etc.) and 2024 statistics will be added at a later date.