Penn State's Abdul Carter Makes His Case As NFL Draft's Top Pick With Strong Quote

Carter explained why he should be the No. 1 pick in April's draft.

Defensive end Carter speaks to the media at Penn State's Pro Day in Holuba Hall on March 28, 2025, in State College. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State standout defensive end and top NFL draft prospect Abdul Carter didn't work out at the Nittany Lions' pro day Friday, but he did make his case to be the No. 1 pick in April.

On top of a shoulder injury suffered in the College Football Playoff, Carter was revealed to have a stress reaction in his right foot following medical testing at the NFL combine in February. Carter is "still finishing up rehab on the shoulder injury he had from the Boise State game" and "may still do a workout for teams sometime in mid-April,” his agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN.

Although he wasn't on the field, Carter spoke to reporters at Penn State pro day and asserted his belief that he is the top player in the 2025 draft class.

"I think just my overall impact on the game," Carter said when asked why he thinks he should be the draft's top pick, via ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "My versatility. I can play multiple positions, and I feel like most importantly I step up when I'm needed the most when crunch time comes around. When you need somebody to make that big play, I feel like I'm the guy who makes that big play."

With Miami quarterback Cam Ward likely in consideration for the Tennessee Titans with the No. 1 pick, Carter explained why it might be wise to prioritize the defensive side of the ball.

"Those great defensive players, you look in the history, they can impact the game just as much as a quarterback," Carter said via ESPN. "There's been defensive players who've taken over a game right at the end of Super Bowl in those playoffs scenes where you really need that great defensive player and he also makes people around him better. So I feel like just saying that, seeing how defensive players can take over a game, we're just like a quarterback."

The Titans have a tough choice to make at the top of the draft. But Carter is hungry to prove that he's the right pick.

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