Penn State\'s Abdul Carter has emerged as a potential top-four selection in Thursday\'s NFL Draft after a position switch from linebacker to defensive end transformed his collegiate career and draft prospects.
Carter approached defensive coordinator Tom Allen in December 2023 with a request to move from his outside linebacker position to defensive end, a decision that would prove pivotal for both his future and Penn State\'s defense.
The switch paid immediate dividends as Carter led the nation with 23.5 tackles for loss and recorded 12 sacks during the 2024 season. Those figures rank third and sixth, respectively, on Penn State\'s all-time single-season records.
Carter\'s exceptional performance earned him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors and consensus All-American status, making him just the 15th player in program history to receive that distinction. His contributions helped guide Penn State to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
The position change significantly boosted Carter\'s NFL draft stock. Heading into the 2024 season, Matt Miller projected him at No. 16. He now tops Miller\'s ranking of the top 600 draft prospects and is ranked No. 1 by Scouts Inc., while Mel Kiper Jr. places him second on his Big Board.
Since declaring for the draft in January, Carter has embraced his rising status, referring to himself as the top overall pick on social media. More recently, he posted a picture of NFL legend Lawrence Taylor on X, seemingly acknowledging speculation about being selected by the New York Giants with the third pick.
Carter arrived at Penn State as a four-star recruit in 2022 and immediately embraced the program\'s high expectations by requesting to wear the hallowed No. 11 jersey. The number has traditionally been reserved for Penn State\'s greatest linebackers at the school known as \"Linebacker U,\" most recently worn by NFL All-Pro Micah Parsons.
Teammates and coaches describe Carter as quiet, cerebral and dedicated. His analytical approach to football is mirrored in his passion for chess, which he began playing at age eight and takes seriously as a competitive outlet that complements his football intelligence.
Defensive line coach Deion Barnes, who shares Philadelphia roots with Carter, noted that the player would regularly study film independently and bring specific ideas that coaches would incorporate into game plans.
\"I just knew what I had to do and what I could do to be the most impactful for our team and for our defense,\" Carter said regarding his position change. \"That\'s what I just tried to do, and it all worked out.\"
\"He said, \'Coach, you\'re going to be glad we did this,\'\" Allen recalled from their initial conversation about switching positions.
\"As an opposing coach, it was like, \'Man, where\'s No. 11 at?\'\" said Allen, who faced Carter as Indiana\'s head coach before joining Penn State\'s staff.
\"You can put Abdul at safety, you can put him at corner, or you can put him at defensive end,\" teammate Dominic DeLuca said. \"He\'s going to make a play. He\'s just a freak athlete. Just the way he moves is insane. He\'s going to find the ball one way or the other.\"