Penn State All-American DE Abdul Carter Declares for NFL Draft

The offseason has officially begun. Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter will forgo his senior year and has declared for the NFL Draft, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Friday morning. Carter has hired superagent Drew Rosenhaus to represent him.

“I expect Abdul will be one of the top picks of this draft and a future All Pro,” Rosenhaus told Schefter.

This announcement comes just hours after the Nittany Lions’ 27-24 loss to Notre Dame in Thursday night’s Orange Bowl. Carter, with a shoulder injury that ruled him a game-time decision prior to kickoff, was outstanding. He tallied five tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack in his Penn State curtain call.

“Abdul, I’m really proud of him,” James Franklin said postgame. “He gutted it out today, showed tremendous mental and physical toughness and was disruptive in the game.”

Carter was named a consensus All-American and the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year this season after leading the Nittany Lions with 12 sacks and 24 tackles for loss.

The 6-foot-3, 252-pound native of Philadelphia projects as a top-10 selection in the upcoming draft. It’s possible he even enters the mix for the top overall pick.

“I love my team. I love my brothers. I love playing football, playing this game, playing for my team, playing for Penn State,” Carter said in the locker room postgame. “It’s a blessing to be here. I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.”