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Why Penn State's Abdul Carter Won't Work Out at the NFL Combine

Carter, the potential No. 1 overall pick of the NFL Draft, has "not fully recovered" from his Fiesta Bowl injury, agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN.

Mark Wogenrich

Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter pursues Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard in the second half in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium.
Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter pursues Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard in the second half in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter, the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, will not work out at this week's NFL Scouting Combine. Carter's agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Carter still is dealing with the lingering effects of the shoulder injury he sustained during the Nittany Lions' Fiesta Bowl win over Boise State.

Carter played in Penn State's next game vs. Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl but was not at 100 percent. Rosenhaus also told Schefter that the defensive end should be able participate in Penn State's Pro Day in late March, signaling a significant front-office attendance for the annual event at Holuba Hall.


“We fully expect Abdul to be recovered in time to work out at his pro day at Penn State and he will perform at a very high level,” Rosenhaus told Schefter.

Carter, the Big Ten defensive player of the year and a consensus All-American, has been sitting at or near the top of draft boards following a season in which he led the nation with 23.5 tackles for loss. Multiple NFL draft mocks project Carter going No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans. Carter could become Penn State's first No. 1 overall pick since defensive end Courtney Brown in 2000.

The injury is something Rosenhaus is managing from both a scouting and marketing perspective. Schefter also reported that Rosenhaus is informing NFL teams that Carter has been cleared to resume training ahead of Penn State's Pro Day in late March.

Penn State coach James Franklin called Carter and fellow end Dani Dennis-Sutton "warriors all year long" after their performance in the Orange Bowl. Carter made two tackles for loss despite playing with a heavily wrapped left shoulder. He also broke up a pass and nearly recovered a first-half fumble that Dennis-Sutton forced. Carter did that nine days after getting injured against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, a game in which he played just 18 snaps. Carter played 66 snaps against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, the most among Penn State's defensive linemen.

"Abdul, I'm really proud of him," Franklin said after the Orange Bowl. "He gutted it out today, showed tremendous mental and physical toughness and was disruptive in the game."

Carter is scheduled to begin interviewing with teams Tuesday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. He has a media session scheduled for Wednesday.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is Editor and Publisher of AllPennState, the site for Penn State news on SI's FanNation Network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs and three Rose Bowls.

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