Penn State Goes on a First-Round Tour of the NFL, NBA and NHL Drafts

Penn State is one of two schools with first-round picks in the 2025 NFL, NBA and NHL drafts.

Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected 3rd overall by the New York Giants during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. | Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State recently had a fascinating draft week, producing first-time, first-round picks in two sports. With that, Penn State became just one of two schools to plant a flag on a quirky stat.

Which colleges could claim first-round picks in the 2025 NFL, NBA and NHL drafts? That would be two: Penn State and Michigan. It began with the NFL and NBA drafts, where Penn State and Michigan were among six schools with first-round picks, according to RedditCFB.

Schools with first round picks in both the 2025 NFL and NBA Drafts. pic.twitter.com/hgrJLjlXdB

— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) June 26, 2025

Two days after the NBA Draft, where Yanic Konan Niederhauser became the Nittany Lions' first first-rounder, Penn State made more history. Jackson Smith, a WHL player who will join the Nittany Lions men's hockey roster this season, was selected 14th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Smith also became Penn State hockey's inaugural first-round draft pick.

With that, Penn State joined Michigan as the only two schools with first-rounders in each of the NFL, NBA and NHL drafts this year. But Penn State didn't stop there, adding a first-round pick in a fourth sport. Here's a look at Penn State's first-rounders this year.

NFL Draft

Abdul Carter: The New York Giants' made Carter, Penn State's All-America defensive end, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2025 draft. Carter and the Giants began their relationship early in the draft process, and the pick seemed destined. It also reinforced Carter's move to switch from linebacker to defensive end for his junior year at Penn State.

Before the 2024 season, Carter said he made a financial decision in changing positions. He was a two-time All-Big Ten at linebacker and a consensus All-American at defensive end after leading the nation in tackles for loss (23.5).

NFL scouts and analysts spent three months floored by his tape. ESPN ranked Carter as the draft's best available player overall. The Athletic's Dane Brugler wrote in his NFL Draft Guide
that Carter's "production matches his traits." NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger called Carter "an impactful player, and you have to gameplan for him."

"If you don’t gameplan for him, you’re in trouble," Baldinger said at Penn State's Pro Day in March.

Tyler Warren: The Penn State tight end could have declared for the 2024 draft after a productive season. Instead, he returned to set a school record with 104 receptions, win the Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end and go No. 14 overall to the Indianapolis Colts. Warren's success allowed Penn State coach James Franklin to make a recruiting pitch.

"This is one obvious positive of NIL," Franklin said on a recent episode of the Penn State Coaches Show. "What I mean by that is, you have a lot of guys every year who are third- or fourth-year players, and they’re trying to make the decision of whether they should leave early to go to the NFL or come back. And in the old days when we were making these decisions, they would have to turn down third-, fourth-, fifth-, sixth-round money in the NFL to come back to college for nothing.

"So now you're able to say, 'Let’s not worry about that, because we can help with some of that. And let’s just make the best decision for you and your family, your education and your NFL future,' and you’re not asking players to walk away from significant money in the NFL. I think Tyler Warren is a perfect example of that."

Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Tyler Warren was selected as the No. 14 pick by the Indianapolis Colts during the 2025 NFL Draft. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NBA Draft

Yanic Konan Niederhauser: Who could have guessed last November that a transfer from Northern Illinois would become Penn State's first first-rounder? The one-year starter led the Big Ten in blocked shots and Penn State in rebounds before jumping into the draft's deep end with his combine performances in June. Suddenly, the Switzerland native drew attention as a potential first-round pick.

The Los Angeles Clippers had Niederhauser on their radar since he was 15, though, and drafted him at No. 30 overall.

"At 15, he came onto the scene to our international guys," Clippers General Manager Trent Redden said at the press conference. "... He played on an under-16 team and he was still 6-1. Two years later, Yanic was 17 and 6-9, growing eight inches in less than two years. You can see it with his play that he's still learning how to play with this massive frame that he has that's a freak of nature."

NHL Draft

Jackson Smith: Penn State is capitalizing on the new NCAA rule allowing Canadian Hockey League players to compete in college. The Nittany Lions' 2025 roster will feature Smith, a standout defenseman from the WHL who was selected 14th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Smith recorded 54 points (11 goals, 43 assists) for the Tri-City Americans of the WHL last season. The 6-3, 190-pound defenseman played 130 games for Tri-City over the past two seasons, totaling 18 goals and 83 points. Before joining the Blue Jackets, Smith will play at least one season for Penn State, which reached its first Frozen Four last season.

PLL Draft

Matt Traynor: Not to be forgotten, the Penn State men's lacrosse star went in the first round (No. 6 overall) to the New York Atlas in the Premier League Lacrosse draft. Traynor was the Big Ten offensive player of the year after leading the conference in points and goals and propelling the Nittany Lions to the NCAA semifinals.

Traynor made his professional debut with the Atlas just days after the NCAA semis and has scored seven goals in his first five games.