With 100 days remaining until the 2025 NFL Draft, here’s a look at Abdul Carter, a top prospect the New Orleans Saints should have their eyes on.
After a 5-12 season in 2024, the New Orleans Saints are set to have the ninth-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. A top-10 pick sets the team up to walk away with one of the top prospects in this draft class. Since New Orleans has several needs, there are a number of different directions the team can go.
One of those directions is edge defender. With the Draft starting 100 days from when this piece was published, let’s take a look at Abdul Carter, a player that should be a top prospect for New Orleans.
Saints could draft Abdul Carter in the 2025 NFL Draft
Accolades: BIG 10 DPOY, 1st team All-American
2024 stats: 12 sacks, 24 TFL, 66 total pressures
Size: 6’3’’, 252 lbs
Projection: 1st Round
Abdul Carter is an explosive edge rusher who can wreak havoc on opposing offenses. The Saints pass rush hasn’t been anything to write home about, so adding an elite rusher would prove beneficial as they begin their rebuild.
Carter is an athletic freak, and majority of the time, he wins due to being faster than opposing linemen. It looks like he’s shot out of a cannon each time the ball is snapped. Once he is in sight of the quarterback he is relentless, doing whatever it takes to bring him down.
Carter consistently puts pressure on the quarterback. His 66 pressures rank him second in the FBS. He also provides pressure on 18.6% of his pass rush snaps. His consistency in speeding up the quarterback is a key reason why Penn State had such a successful season.
Carter uses his instincts well in the run game also, as he always seems to be in the right position. It doesn’t matter if he’s filling a gap or making the play himself. This is evident with his 24 tackles for loss in 2024. He can run into trouble getting off a block if the lineman can get his hands on him immediately. However, if that doesn’t happen, more likely than not, Carter will impact the play.
2024 was the first year Carter exclusively played edge rusher. Previously, he was an outside linebacker. Due to this, he’s a versatile chess piece with ample experience in coverage. Carter can drop back and cover a tight end or running back with ease. This makes it difficult for the quarterback to decide what he will do.
Although the transition to edge has been successful, Carter still isn’t a polished edge rusher. This is exemplified as he doesn’t utilize many pass-rush moves. More often than not, he relies on being more athletic than the opposing player. He has seemingly limitless potential but still has to unlock it.
Abdul Carter is easily a first-round talent with the potential to become a franchise cornerstone. His pass-rush potential, prowess in the run game, and versatility in coverage make him an intriguing prospect for any team. If Carter is available at pick No. 9, New Orleans should strongly consider him to kick-start their rebuild.
