Matt Citak: Since John and Dan took the easy choices, I’ll go with the top pick from last year’s draft. After a slow start to his rookie campaign, Abdul Carter got going towards the end of the 2025 season. The young outside linebacker picked up at least a half-sack in four consecutive games at the end of the year, which set a new franchise rookie record, with 3.5 total sacks during that span. He also picked up a minimum of four pressures in each of the final five contests, according to Pro Football Focus, accumulating a total of 28 pressures across that final stretch.
Carter finished the season with the seventh-most quarterback pressures, according to Next Gen Stats, and was only five behind Myles Garrett for sixth. Furthermore, Carter also racked up 48 quick pressures (under 2.5 seconds), which led the entire NFL and were five more than the next highest player (Nik Bonitto had 43). While his sack total finished at four, these underlying metrics show that some positive regression is likely for the second-year outside linebacker. Carter showed some encouraging signs throughout spring practices, but with contact not permitted during OTAs and minicamp, his performance must be taken with a grain of salt. Once the pads come on at training camp, though, it’s a whole other story.
While speaking to the media back in early April, the team’s new defensive coordinator shared his excitement about coaching both Carter and Brian Burns and their versatility within the defense.
“They were so attentive in the room, talking about the style of ball, how we’re going to play up front, the violence in which we’re going to play in, the way we’re going to build a wall and set violent edges to make teams run in a phone booth, how we’re going to play vertical knock-back, how we’re going to crush and close, these guys can do it all,” Dennard Wilson said about the two outside linebackers. “Plus, they add the versatility, you can move them around.
“Last year and even in Penn State, especially with Abdul, the way he was used, you can move him off the ball, he can be the spinner on third downs. You can add a fifth rusher. There is numerous things you can do with both of the guys. Both of them are smart football players. They have a good grasp of conceptual defense.”