After Round 1 Success, Who's Next for Penn State at the NFL Draft?

Recapping the Nittany Lions' opening night of the NFL Draft and looking ahead to their best prospects of Day 2.

Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter is selected by the New York Giants as the No. 3 pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Penn State landed two first-round NFL Draft picks for the second consecutive year, as Abdul Carter and Tyler Warren produced the program's most sucessful opening night in 22 years. The Nittany Lions had two top-15 picks for the first time since Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Haynes went 12-14 in the 2003 NFL Draft.

Here's a recap of Penn State's Round 1 and a preview of the Nittany Lions' Day 2 at the NFL Draft.

Abdul Carter to the Giants began with breakfast in State College

New York Giants coach Brian Daboll already had a spring visit planned to Penn State, where his daughter is a student, so he added breakfast with Abdul Carter to the schedule. That trip cemented in Daboll's mind that Carter would be high on the Giants' draft board.

Daboll and Giants general manager Joe Schoen completed their mission Thursday, selecting Carter with the third overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. Carter extended Penn State's recent run of first-round edge rushers, becoming the third of coach James Franklin's tenure.

"I had a chance to get some breakfast with him when I went down to Penn State to visit my daughter for Parents' Weekend," Daboll said. "... We had a great meeting. He's a great kid, exceptional player. He's got great quickness, bend, he's hard to block. He played off the ball [at linebacker] the year before and he has instincts in that area as well.

"... Fun guy to evaluate. ... He'll start from ground zero with us. He's got a great personality, a lot of fun to be around and he's a good football player."

Giants general manager Joe Schoen detailed the process of drafting Carter, which he said began with Colorado's Pro Day on April 4.

"It seemed, in terms of the order of the draft, it shifted around that Colorado Pro Day," Schoen said. "Travis [Hunter] at No. 2 really started to catch on. Before that, it felt like Abdul was the pick at No. 2. ... We went through a thorough process and we had a pretty good sense on Wednesday that this was going to happen."

The New York Giants general manager also addressed Carter's foot injury, which was diagnosed at the NFL Scouting Combine.

"We feel good about the foot and where he is," Schoen said. "He’s been running, working out. We’re not really concerned about that at this point."

NEW YORK ☎️ @1NCRDB1 pic.twitter.com/MUB1RJw30z

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) April 25, 2025

'Sometimes you get a little lucky,' Indianapolis GM says of Tyler Warren

Warren, the top tight end on most draft boards, was the second pick Thursday after Michigan's Colston Loveland. So when he was available at No. 14, Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said he entertained no trades and made the call.

"Sometimes you get a little lucky," Ballard told reporters in Indianapolis. "We're excited to get Tyler. We were patient. ... The last time I felt that good about pulling a pick, and I felt good about all of them, was [guard] Quenton [Nelson, the sixth overall pick of the 2018 draft]."

Ballard checklisted a big group of skills Warren will bring to Indianapolis, includinghis versatility. He also liked the way Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki deployed Warren last season and made a prediction.

"He can do a lot," Ballard said of Warren. "He can play multiple spots, he’s got the quarterback background, he can play in the backfield. He's a great 50-50 ball-catcher, he's violent after the catch. He brings an element of toughness I thought we needed to add offensively.

"... [Kotelnicki] knew he had a unique player and he found unique ways to use him, and I think [Indianapolis head coach] Shane [Steichen] will find unique ways to use him."

Tyler gets the call. 📞 pic.twitter.com/ve7wdlA7Ib

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) April 25, 2025

Who's next for Penn State?

Safety KJ Winston is the best available Nittany Lion, according to ESPN, and figures to get into the second round. That would be a tremendous accomplishment for Winston, who missed most of last season with a knee injury that required surgery.

Fellow Penn State safety Jaylen Reed could join Winston in getting a Friday night call. Reed, an All-Big Ten safety in Winston's absence last year, was ESPN's 116th-ranked player entering the draft. He's a potential third-rounder, though Reed might have to wait until Saturday's fourth round.