Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter has won multiple honors following his big day against Illinois. The junior is both the Big Ten defensive player of the week and the Senior Bowl co-national defensive player of the week. In Saturday’s win over the Fighting Illini, Carter totaled seven tackles and led the Lions with four tackles for loss and two sacks. He also forced a fumble in the game’s final minutes to finally put head coach Bret Bielema’s side away for good.

“Just playing fast, playing with a little effort, that’s one thing I pride myself on,” Carter said after the game. “Make sure I play the game with everything I got, every play, and I feel like it showed today.

“Just got to keep growing, keep learning, just keep getting better. Keep taking these weeks week by week, just stack days, stack weeks, to get better. Like I said, you haven’t seen the best of me yet.”

That last sentence should be scary for future Big Ten foes. Carter, of course, is in his first season as a full-time defensive end after winning All-Big Ten honors at linebacker last season. He is the second Penn State player to win conference player of the week honors this season. Safety KJ Winston Jr., who is dealing with a long-term injury, also won after a big day at West Virginia back in Week 1.

Carter will likely be the next first-round NFL Draft pick from Penn State

Before Saturday’s statistical outburst, Carter sat at No. 7 on ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper’s 2025 big board. He would have to declare early to be part of next year’s pro selection process. That is likely to happen at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

“Carter is versatile and has plenty of experience effectively operating as an off-ball linebacker, helping him crack 60 tackles in each of the past two seasons at Penn State,” Kiper writes. “But the hope this season is he can make a dent in opponents’ game plans as a pass rusher off the edge. Carter has the traits to wreak havoc there, getting pressure on 24% of his pass rush snaps last season. He is instinctive and fast flying to the football.”

In a recent mock draft, The Draft Network’s analysts send Carter to the Washington Commanders with the No. 10 overall pick. That would put him into multiple matchups with former Nittany Lion Saquon Barkley, who is the starting running back for the Philadelphia Eagles.

“The interior defensive line in Washington is stout but they need some help at EDGE to generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks,” Daniel Harms writes. “Abdul Carter is a top-tier athlete and Dan Quinn would know exactly how to use a player of this caliber.”

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