Penn State Sports Magazine
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6 6 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M B y his own admission, Abdul Carter didn't plan on committing to Penn State in late July. But having watched 11 prospects announce for the Nittany Lions over the previous five weeks, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker knew when he headed to State College to at- tend the Lasch Bash barbecue that he likely couldn't afford to wait another month or two if he wanted to attend PSU. Because of that, he said he and his father spent a lot of time talk- ing about a potential commitment in the days leading up to the visit. "Me and my dad were talking about it a lot lately," Carter said. "I kind of thought my recruitment would end up going a bit longer, but when we sat down and started talking about it more, really comparing my top three schools, we felt that Penn State was definitely my best fit." Carter, a four-star prospect from La Salle College High outside Philadelphia, is rated by Rivals.com as the No. 28 out- side linebacker in the Class of 2022 and the No. 8 player in Pennsylvania. He fills a need at linebacker in Penn State's class, but Carter said that the coaching staff didn't apply an excessive amount of pres- sure in the weeks leading up to his com- mitment. "They've been telling me lately that they only have a certain amount of spots," Carter said. "They've been saying that they have about 23 or 24 spots available, so I knew it was getting tight, but they also told me not to worry about that. They kept telling me that I could take my time and be patient with it. I actually caught them off guard when I told them I was coming there." Carter went on to add: "We were just out on the field with a bunch of their coaches at the time. I just pulled them aside and told them that I was coming here, and that's when everyone came over and congratulated me. It was just like that. It was kind of at the end of the day, but before we all sat down and talked. We were still outside at the time." What separated the Nittany Lions from South Carolina and Mississippi, the other schools he was seri- ously considering, was that Penn State fit him best "on a couple of dif- ferent levels." He added that the recruit- ing class James Franklin and his staff are putting together made the Lions' offer all the more enticing. "I think coming here is where I can make my biggest impact," Carter said. "I think this group is really strong with some great guys. One of the only things they were missing was another linebacker. "So I just like the fit. I think it works well for me on a couple different levels, and when you add in this class they built, there's something special building. I think with me joining them now, the class is pretty much complete." Of course, Penn State has a long his- tory of producing linebackers, which is another thing Carter was aware of. "Penn State is [Linebacker U], so of course that's something I thought about," he said. "I want to come in here and be the next great Penn State linebacker." Carter said that one of his future Penn State teammates, Ken Talley, who also lives in Philadelphia and committed to the Lions nearly a year ago, played a small role in his decision. "Ken has been recruiting me hard for a while," he said. "Me and Ken are close. He's been telling me for a while now that I need to come there and help them build a national championship team." ■ Four-Star LB's Commitment Fills Need In 2022 RYA N S N Y D E R | S N Y D E R 4 2 0 8 8 @ G M A I L . C O M A Philadelphia product, Carter is rated by Rivals as the No. 8 player in Pennsylvania. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Penn State football filled the biggest hole on its 2022 recruiting checklist with the addition of linebacker Abdul Carter. The four-star prospect has unbelievable physical tools that translate to the next level. And he has a highlight tape to match. STRENGTHS Size: Carter's size, lower-body physique and power at the point of contact are all college- ready. He also has posted absurd testing num- bers, running a 4.5-second 40-yard dash and a 4.4-second 20-yard shuttle. Those numbers are on par with the other great Penn State lineback- ers of the past few years. Coverage skills: Carter is a patient linebacker who reads before he reacts to play-action. No player is perfect, but he does a good job of not overreacting to anything and is a quality spot- drop linebacker who can find his zone and plays with discipline once there. AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT Diagnostics: Patience and steadiness are great in a linebacker, but at a certain point you have to trust what you see and trigger to the ball. Too often, Carter is a passive member of the defense who reads, reacts and gets into po- sition but infrequently finishes to the football. He also rarely hits his top speed. Fluidity: Carter's game speed does not match his testing speed the majority of the time. There are flashes, yes, and most of them make it to his highlight tape. PROJECTION Box linebacker: Either the Mike or Will line- backer position would be a fine spot for Carter depending on how much he can absorb in terms of setting the front seven. He could be a tackling force who runs sideline to sideline and hits everything that moves once the light fully comes on. Edge: At 6-3, 230 pounds as a rising senior in high school, he could potentially outgrow linebacker. His movement skills in space also suggest that he might be better on the line than patrolling laterally in zone coverage. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N COMMITMENT PROFILE ABDUL CARTER