Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1534903
M A Y 2 0 2 5 3 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M P enn State was well-represented on Day 1 of the NFL Draft, with defensive end Abdul Carter go- ing third overall to the New York Giants and tight end Tyler Warren going 14th to the Indianapolis Colts. It was the second year in a row in which two Penn Staters heard their names called in the opening round. Last year, offensive tackle Olu- muyiwa Fashanu and defensive end Chop Robinson were chosen within the first 21 picks. Penn State was a less-prominent pres- ence in the subsequent rounds. Safety Kevin Winston Jr. (third round, Tennessee Titans) was the only Nittany Lion selected on Day 2, while safety Jaylen Reed (sixth round, Houston Texans) and linebacker Kobe King (sixth round, Minnesota Vi- kings) were the Day 3 selections. The Lions' five-man draft contin- gent was its smallest since 2020, but that was largely because a multitude of NFL-grade players, including quarter- back Drew Allar, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and defen- sive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant, opted instead to return to Penn State for their senior seasons. Their presence in next year's selection process should assure that PSU will send at least five players into the league for a ninth consecutive year. Here's a look at where the Nittany Li- ons' newest NFL players are headed. ABDUL CARTER Team: New York Giants Round: First Pick: Third overall The Details: Carter was on hand in Green Bay to stroll across the stage, shake commissioner Roger Goodell's hand and pose for a photo in a Giants jersey. He became the Nittany Lions' highest draft pick since Saquon Barkley went No. 2 overall to the Giants in 2018. Not since 2000, when Courtney Brown went No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Browns, have the Lions had a defensive end selected so early. Carter became the 12th program alum to go in the top five. A two-year starter, first at linebacker then at defensive end, Carter led the FBS with 23.5 tackles for loss as a junior. He had 12 sacks, 4 pass breakups and 2 forced fumbles en route to becoming the Lions' 15th consensus All-American. He was also the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. In the pre-draft process, during which he worked to overcome shoulder and foot injuries, Carter said he strongly be- lieved that he should be the No. 1 overall pick. That didn't happen, but he could be an instant-impact contributor and a preseason favorite for defensive rookie of the year honors. BWI analyst Thomas Frank Carr noted that Carter has the talent to thrive no matter how he's deployed in New York's defense. "With the Giants, he'll have an op- portunity to move around the forma- tion, especially on third down," Carr ex- plained. "He managed 44 pressures and 2 quarterback hits when lined up off the ball in 2024, and he had 9 sacks during his three-year career when lined up in the box. If New York holds onto former first-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, the option to rush Carter through the A gap behind mammoth defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is an enticing one. "New York should have one of the league's top defensive lines after this se- Next-Level Next-Level Lions Lions A pair of first-rounders highlight Penn State's latest NFL Draft contingent G R E G P I C K E L | G R E G . P I C K E L @ O N 3 . C O M Chosen third overall by the New York Giants, defensive end Abdul Carter was PSU's highest draft choice since Saquon Barkley went second to the Giants in 2018. PHOTO COURTESY NEW YORK GIANTS