Let’s take a closer look at one of the prospects the Panthers could select in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Since it’s never too early to look forward to the NFL Draft, this weekly series will take a closer look at some of the prospects the Carolina Panthers could select in the 2025 iteration of the Draft. In this series, we’ll only be looking at prospects the Panthers could seriously consider. This week our profile will focus on Penn State junior edge defender Abdul Carter.
Standing at 6’3”, 259 lbs, Abdul Carter is not the same true physical specimen coming off the edge as some other prospects in this class. While Carter’s size is not elite, his athleticism certainly is. In fact, his athletic profile is very similar to Dolphins rookie first rounder Chop Robinson, also out of Penn State. The main thing separating him from his former collegiate teammate is Carter’s production. The biggest knock on Robinson last season was his lack of production his final year of college. That’s not an issue for Carter, who already has eight sacks and 18 tackles for loss on the season. He’s also shown a propensity for knocking down the ball at the line of scrimmage, evidenced by his 12 career passes deflected.
On top of his freakish athleticism, Carter also has long arms and high flexibility to help him control the offensive lineman and turn the corner while pass rushing. He’s also shown to be a physical finisher when making tackles, using his instincts and discipline to be in on a lot of plays. He does tend to play too aggressively, allowing backs to cut back and allowing receivers to gain YAC when he’s in coverage. That coverage issue is a large reason why he was moved from linebacker to a more traditional edge defender this year. While he’ll never be the strong point of attack anchor like a Jadeveon Clowney, his pass rush potential and explosiveness off the edge is something the Panthers desperately need.
What do you think, Panthers fans? If Abdul Carter is available when the Panthers select in the 2025 NFL Draft, should they take him? Sound off in the comments!