Carter is one of the top players in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Arguably the best player available, Abdul Carter seems certain that he will not fall out of the first four selections in this year’s NFL Draft. In fact, he is so confident that he is planning to not take any pre-draft visits with teams currently slated to pick fifth or lower.
This means that the New England Patriots are on a list of four teams also including the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants. According to a report by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Carter already visited with the Titans and Browns while his visits with the Giants and Patriots are set to take place “in the coming weeks.”
Carter, 21, is as impressive a defensive lineman as any coming out in the last few years.
What the 6-foot-3, 250-pounder may lack in size he makes up for with a rare skillset: his explosion out of his stance is special, and he knows how to convert speed into power. It allowed him to register 12 sacks during his 2024 junior season and be named unanimous All-American as well as the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Drawing comparisons to Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons, Carter falling past the Patriots at No. 4 would be a massive surprise. New England, meanwhile, will only be in a position to pick him if the draft board higher up develops favorably (i.e. if two quarterbacks get drafted with the first three picks).
Nonetheless, the Patriots are making sure to get as much information as they can on Carter. As a result, he has now become the organization’s eighth known 30 visit.