Abdul Carter Called ‘Best Player in the Draft’ by NFL Executive: ‘A One-Man Wrecking Crew’
Penn State edge rusher and wearer of the coveted double ones jersey. Abdul Carter doesn’t just want to be thought of as perhaps the best player in the 2025 NFL Draft, he believes he is the best player in the 2025 NFL Draft.
He certainly isn’t afraid to showcase his self-assured swagger.
“I feel like I’m the best player in the country…and the best player should be selected No.1”, Carter told reporters in late February at the NFL Combine, doubling down on a belief shared by several front offices across the league.
The Nittany Lions‘ edge rusher has earned that confidence. After transitioning to a full-time defensive end in 2024, Carter exploded onto the scene with 13 sacks and 43 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. His 22.6% pass-rush win rate ranked among the highest in the country, highlighting a rare mix of explosiveness and game-wrecking instincts that instantly jump off the tape.
Don’t just take my word for it, NFL scouts are buzzing about Carter’s potential at the next level in the days leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft.
“He’s the best player in the Draft,” an NFL Executive told NFL Insider Matt Lombardo of Between The Hashmarks. “Just go and watch the Notre Dame game … He was a one-man wrecking crew with just one arm. There are no real weak points to his game.”
What makes Carter even more dangerous is his positional versatility. He’s proven he can dominate off the edge, shift inside, and even drop into coverage when needed. He’s a defensive coordinator’s dream, a plug-and-play weapon, who creates mismatches every snap.
That performance against Notre Dame, where he tallied multiple tackles for loss, a sack, and several game-altering pressures, cemented his status as a top-tier prospect. It also showed the kind of motor and toughness NFL teams covet most.
What Makes Abdul Cater Special, Even if He Isn’t Chosen No. 1
But there’s a reason he may not go No. 1 overall even if he is the best player in next week’s draft in Green Bay.
Two quarterbacks – Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are projected top-five picks, and teams like Tennessee and Cleveland are desperate for a franchise signal-caller.
While I’ll always believe that best-player-available is the way to go philosophy, in terms of building a top-tier NFL team, need sometimes trumps talent in the draft. The quarterback premium may keep Carter from hearing his name first, despite being the best pure football player in the class.
Still, whoever lands him will be getting a generational defensive talent.
Carter isn’t just a safe pick, he’s a culture changer. Even if he doesn’t go No. 1, don’t be surprised when he’s the most dominant rookie on the field come fall.
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It was at PRISM where Staszak produced live games and began his career as an on-air reporter.
After a couple of brief stints with CBS-3, WB-17 and WGAL-8 in Lancaster, PA, Staszak began a 12 year stretch at FOX 29 where he became the lead sportscaster in 2007. It was there that Staszak found himself in the middle of Philadelphia Phillies World Series Championship coverage that earned him an Emmy nomination for best sports reporter in 2008.It was one of five Emmy nominations that Staszak earned over the course of his career.
All told Staszak covered three World Series, two Stanley Cup Finals, an NBA Finals and one Super Bowl during his television run.
Staszak left the TV business for 97.5 The Fanatic in 2013, where he enjoyed eight years bloviating his beliefs on how a professional football team should be run.In 2018 when he fortunate enough to be the first sports talk host in the city, along with cohort Zach Gelb, to provide post-game coverage of the first Super Bowl Championship for the city’s beloved Philadelphia Eagles.
Staszak was also a writer for 97.5 The Fanatic along with 4 Philly Sports and now covers Penn State athletics for NittanyCentral.com.