Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1526526
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 4 13 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M J ust before the start of the 2024 col- lege football season, NFL Draft expert Dane Brugler of The Athletic released his initial 2025 big board. Among Bru- gler's top 50 players were a pair of Nit- tany Lion juniors: defensive end Abdul Carter and quarterback Drew Allar. Carter, who is in his first season on the Nittany Lions' defensive line after starting at linebacker the past two years, is No. 2 overall. B r u g l e r a c k n owl e d ge d t h a t t h e 6-foot-3, 252-pound edge rusher's lofty placement will come as a surprise to many. This is the highest any of the na- tion's draft experts have ranked Carter, with Michigan cornerback Will Johnson the only player listed ahead of him, but Brugler is bullish on the Philadelphia native as an NFL prospect. "From LaVar Arrington to NaVorro Bowman and most recently Micah Par- sons, the No. 11 jersey carries a lot of history for the Penn State defense," Brugler wrote. "And through two sea- sons, Carter has only strengthened that legacy. A four-star recruit out of high school, he quickly worked himself into the starting lineup as a true freshman and was a first-team All-Big Ten line- backer as a sophomore. "As an off-ball linebacker last sea- son, Carter saw almost twice as many snaps in coverage (208) as he did as a pass rusher (112). The ratio should be flipped in 2024 as he moves to more of an edge role under former Indiana head coach Tom Allen, who takes over as the Nittany Lions defensive coordinator. If his technical skill catches up with his natural talent, Carter has the impact potential to be a Parsons-like prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft." Parsons was the 12th player taken in the 2021 draft and has gone on to earn All-Pro recognition each of his three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. On the offensive side of the ball, Bru- gler has four quarterbacks among the first-round selections on his big board. Georgia's Carson Beck tops the list at No. 8 overall, followed by Shedeur Sanders of Colorado (No. 18), Quinn Ewers of Texas (No. 23) and Conner Weigman of Texas A&M (No. 24). Allar appears at No. 50, a spot that would make him a mid-second-round pick. The Nittany Lion junior is an intrigu- ing prospect for NFL teams. Brugler compiled his list before the West Vir- ginia game, in which Allar completed 11 of 17 passes for 216 yards and 3 touch- downs without an interception. There's a long way to go, and Brugler acknowledged the skepticism Allar has faced but added that he is excited about the quarterback's potential "because of his natural talent and the fact that his surroundings were abysmal last sea- son — Penn State replaced its offensive coordinator midseason, its offensive line had several low moments against formidable competition, and its wide receivers were below average in terms of route timing and finishing skills." Several Penn State players who are being hailed as potential early-round picks did not make Brugler's top 50 but could play their way into it by the end of the 2024 season. Junior safety Kevin Winston Jr. was a 13-game starter last year and finished with a team-high 60 tackles while add- ing 5 pass breakups, 2 fumble recover- ies and an interception to his tally. The effort earned him honorable mention All-Big Ten honors, and he began the 2024 season by making a team-high 12 tackles at West Virginia. Safety is an underrepresented po- sition on Brugler's list, with only one such player — Georgia's Malaki Starks — making an appearance (at No. 9). Running back Nicholas Singleton isn't in the top 50 either but could work his way into the conversation. The 6-foot, 226-pound junior got off to an excellent start this season, rushing for 114 yards against West Virginia and 119 versus Bowling Green. For now, though, there are only three running backs on Brugler's list. Other potential top-50 draftees in- clude junior defensive end Dani Den- nis-Sutton and senior tight end Tyler Warren. ■ Carter, Allar Make Top 50 List Of 2025 Draft Prospects NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M Playing his first season as a defensive end, junior Abdul Carter is listed second overall on the list compiled by draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL Quarterback Drew Allar opened his junior season with a strong showing at West Virginia, tossing touchdown passes of 50, 20 and 18 yards. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL