Philly's Abdul Carter could be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. At the Super Bowl, he was just an Eagles fan.

Olivia Reiner, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Feb 26, 2025

Published in Football

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INDIANAPOLIS — Abdul Carter said it would be realistic come April 24 to hear his name called first among a long list of prospects on the NFL draft stage. His rationale is straightforward.

“I feel like I’m the best player in the country, and the best player should be selected No. 1,” the 21-year-old edge rusher out of Penn State said Wednesday at the NFL scouting combine.

His assertion isn’t far-fetched. Carter, who was born in North Philadelphia and was a star at La Salle College High, is one of the top players available in the draft, earning the No. 1 overall spot in the NFL Network’s latest prospect rankings. In his final season at Penn State, Carter garnered Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors while collecting 12 sacks, 68 tackles (24 for losses), four pass breakups and two forced fumbles as a junior.

If he comes off the board first, he would become the third No. 1 overall pick out of Penn State in league history, joining an exclusive group that includes running back Ki-Jana Carter (1995 by the Cincinnati Bengals) and defensive end Courtney Brown (2000 by the Cleveland Browns). The 6-foot-3, 252-pound Carter isn’t lacking in confidence as he eyes the top selection in the draft.

“I feel like you definitely need a franchise edge rusher if you look at all the great teams, all the great teams that won Super Bowls, you have that one standout great defensive player,” Carter said. “And I feel like I’m that.”

That sense of self-confidence stems from the work he put in throughout his football journey, from his youth football days with the North Philly Aztecs to his three standout seasons at Penn State. Carter credits his father, Chris, for training him and pushing him in his development along the way.

“My dad, he trained me to be the best player I can be,” Carter said. “And not just being the best on the field, but off the field. And knowing all the work I put in, all the training I did, all the sacrifices I made, I know I’m the best.”

The best prospects at the top of the draft tend to go to the teams that struggled the most the year before. In this case, the Tennessee Titans hold the first overall selection, while Carter’s beloved hometown Eagles — fresh off their Super Bowl victory — possess pick No. 32.

Even though Carter grew up rooting for the Eagles, he is poised to shed that allegiance if (more likely, when) another team snags him in the draft.

“Whatever team drafts me, I’m loyal to that team,” Carter said.

For one last year before he embarked upon his NFL journey, Carter relished his Eagles fandom. His childhood team couldn’t have given him a better result.

Even after he declared for the draft in January following Penn State’s loss to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, Carter did not shy away from supporting his hometown squad. Most recently, he took his father to New Orleans to cheer on the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.

His father gave him a custom Eagles playoff sweatshirt bearing his name and number to commemorate the team’s run. Carter wore the hoodie in the aftermath of the win when he snapped a photo with Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter and the Lombardi Trophy.

“I went to the last Super Bowl when they played the Chiefs,” Carter said of the Eagles’ 38-35 loss two years ago. “They didn’t get the job done. But this year, they got the job done. Happy for them. It was really cool one last year being an Eagles fan.”

If Carter has his dream fulfilled of becoming the first overall pick, that sweatshirt might get buried at the bottom of his closet. However, he won’t continue to make his case for the top selection by working out for teams at the combine. The explosive edge rusher will be sidelined as he recovers from a shoulder injury he sustained in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal win over Boise State, according to ESPN. He will still participate in the medical testing and team interviews in Indianapolis.

The shoulder injury wasn’t enough to deter Carter from suiting up in the semifinal against Notre Dame. He posted a sack and three tackles in the Nittany Lions’ 27-24 loss. In Carter’s mind, sitting out of the game wasn’t an option despite his ailment.

“I just feel like my teammates needed me,” Carter said. “I couldn’t have played, but I felt like [I needed to] leave it all out there and give us the best opportunity to win. I feel like that’s what I did. If I had to do it again, I would make the same choice.”

He said he feels 90% recovered from his shoulder injury. Carter expects to approach 100% as he ramps up his training this month. His sights are set on participating in Penn State’s pro day, which typically is held in mid-March.

Carter traces his confidence back to his upbringing. He attributes the toughness that he has displayed on and off the field, particularly while dealing with his injury, to the city that raised him.

“I feel like I’m shaped a lot by my Philly roots,” Carter said. “Just my toughness, my grit, I feel like that’s really the biggest thing I can take from Philly. It really made me into the man I am today.”