Carter entered the Orange Bowl as a game-time decision with a shoulder injury suffered against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. The junior, a Glenside native, had a breakout junior year in his first season at defensive end, finishing with 23.5 tackles for losses and 12 sacks.

This was the year and this was the team for Franklin and his Penn State program to prove the doubters wrong, to extinguish the derisive "Big Game James" nickname once and for all. Led by Abdul Carter,

James Franklin coached the Penn State Nittany Lions to a loss in a big game. Franklin cleared one hurdle this year when Penn State finally made the College Football Playoff semifinal after defeating SMU in the first round and Boise State in the second round.

Penn State consensus All American defensive end Abdul Carter has entered the 2025 NFL Draft and hired Drew Rosenhaus, Robert Bailey and Jason Rosenhaus to represent him. “I expect Abdul will be one of the top picks of this draft and a future All Pro,” Drew Rosenhaus said. pic.twitter.com/cvkatLTqHV

Should he choose to participate, the NFL Draft Combine is from Feb. 27-March 2. The 2025 NFL Draft is from Thursday, April 24 to Saturday, April 26. Both teams combined for 31 points in the fourth quarter after scoring just 20 in the first three quarters.

Penn State star defensive end Abdul Carter is more than simply following in the footsteps of some vaunted No. 11 Nittany Lion pass rushers. Wearing the same number once donned by Lavar Arrington and Micah Parsons,