Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter has been named among the nation’s best. Carter was selected to the Associated Press preseason All-American second team on Monday, high praise for the junior pass rusher after switching his position from linebacker. He is was one of eight Big Ten players selected.
Carter was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2023 after tallying 48 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. His pass-rushing statistics are only expected to inflate with more blitzing opportunities alongside fellow edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton.
The 6-foot-3, 259-pound Carter is Penn State’s third preseason All-American in two years, joining offensive tackle Olu Fashanu and cornerback Kalen King, who were each named first-team selections prior to last season.
Despite being selected as an edge rusher, Carter is also likely to continue playing reps at linebacker as well, James Franklin said at Big Ten Media Days in July.
“He’ll play both. We have the flexibility to play him at both positions,” Franklin said. “He’s one of the unique athletes that was playing linebacker at 250 pounds. You never know how that transition is going to go, playing in space at the linebacker position compared to moving up to the line of scrimmage and having to go against the offensive tackles. He made the adjustment pretty quickly.”
This should make Carter a tricky player for opposing offensive coordinators to gameplan for. That’s besides the fact that Carter is a projected first-round NFL Draft pick.
“I think versatility is a big thing in the NFL, as well. You know, the most valuable guys are the guys who do multiple things,” Carter said. “And I feel like I’m definitely one of those guys who can not only rush the passer. I can stop the run, I can cover a tight end, cover a back, go into the slot. I can drop in zone coverage. So that versatility is just gonna help me a lot in the long run.”
