Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1534903
3 4 M A Y 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M lection. Just like he did for the Penn State defensive front, Carter has a chance to transform the Giants into a truly elite unit with his versatility, speed and elite pass- rushing production." Head Coach James Franklin Says: "Abdul is an exceptional football player who brings a ton of versatility to the NFL. He had the flexibility to play both line- backer and defensive end for us, showcas- ing his impressive athleticism. … He is a strong and disruptive defender who will be problematic for NFL offenses." Defensive Line Coach Deion Barnes Says: "Abdul Carter has established him- self as one of the top defenders to ever wear a Penn State uniform. He has a tre- mendous opportunity with the New York Giants, and I know he'll thrive in that or- ganization. He has great hands, quick feet and a very detail-oriented approach to the game." TYLER WARREN Team: Indianapolis Colts Round: First Pick: 14th overall The Details: Warren became the sixth tight end of the Franklin era at Penn State to be drafted. Among those half-dozen players, Warren owns a unique distinc- tion: He's the only one to be selected in the first round. Indianapolis chose the 2024 Big Ten Tight End of the Year and Mackey Award winner with its top over- all pick. In so doing, it made Warren the highest-drafted Penn State tight end since Kyle Brady went ninth overall to the New York Jets in 1995. Warren, who watched the draft with his family in Mechanicsville, Va., shined for the Lions during a breakout 2024 sea- son. Taking full advantage of the imagi- native offensive scheme that first-year coordinator Andy Kotelnicki installed, he caught 104 passes for 1,233 yards and 8 touchdowns. Kotelnicki also used War- ren as a passer (he was 3 of 6 for 35 yards and a touchdown), rusher (26 carries for 218 yards and 4 scores) and blocker. In the end, he shot up draft boards and solidified himself as not just an early- round prospect but an early-first-round pick. Needing an upgrade at tight end, the Colts were an obvious landing spot. "The ability to really threaten the mid- dle of the field will help open up some things for us offensively," general man- ager Chris Ballard said. "Plus, being a really big target, I think that's a plus. He's one of those guys who is always open. That's part of his uniqueness. His hands are pretty rare. I thought he had the best hands of any player in the draft." BWI's Carr views Warren as a Y tight end if the Colts continue to rely primarily on an 11-personnel scheme. "The tight end position was a relative weakness in the passing game, and War- ren immediately upgrades that aspect to give the team four legitimate pass- ing options in its three-receiver person- nel sets," Carr noted. "Despite the lofty comparisons to future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski, there's a fair ques- tion about Warren's translation to a tra- ditional in-line role at the next level. "Of course, with Anthony Richard- son and Daniel Jones competing for the starting quarterback job, the biggest question about Warren's success will come down to who is throwing him the football." Franklin Says: "It's been an honor to have Tyler and his family be a part of our program. He has been a tremendous mentor and teammate. Tyler was our program's first-ever Mackey Award win- ner and will go down as one of the best tight ends in college football history." Tight Ends Coach Ty Howle Says: "Tyler Warren will go down as one of the best tight ends in the history of Penn State football. He is going to be an in- credible fit for the Colts. He played a huge role in our offense and can be used in so many ways, which will make him a very successful NFL player." KEVIN WINSTON JR. Team: Tennessee Titans Round: Third Pick: 82nd overall The Details: Winston bet on himself by declaring early for the pros despite suffering a partially torn ACL that cost him almost all of the 2024 season. His decision paid off in a big way on Day 2 of the draft. Winston was a preseason All-Ameri- can last season. He backed it up in Week 1 with a career-high 12 tackles in the Li- ons' 34-12 win at West Virginia, but he hurt his knee during practice the follow- ing week. After trying to play through the injury in Week 2 against Bowling Green, he left the field and never returned. Al- though his three-year Penn State career ended on a disappointing note, Win- ston said he didn't have any reservations about moving on. "I don't think it was a very difficult decision, considering that the injury was early in the season," he said. "Obviously, if it was the last game of the season, or middle, there would be kind of some gray area there." Winston, who led the team with 65 tackles as a sophomore in 2023, said prior to the draft that he did not expect to be fully healthy until training camp. Franklin Says: "I couldn't be hap- pier for KJ Winston and his family for earning this opportunity in the NFL with When he was chosen 14th overall by the Indianapolis Colts, Tyler Warren became the third Penn State tight end to be selected in the first round. Ted Kwalick was taken by San Francisco with the seventh pick in 1969, and Kyle Brady went ninth overall to the New York Jets in 1995. PHOTO COURTESY INDIANAPOLIS COLTS