Carter is still recovering from a shoulder injury suffered late during the 2024 season.
One of the top prospects in this year’s NFL Draft and a potential target for the New England Patriots with the No. 4 overall pick will not participate in the on-field portion of the Scouting Combine this week. Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter has not been cleared for any workouts yet, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Carter, 21, is still recovering from a shoulder injury suffered in the playoff quarterfinal against Boise State in late December. While he has been allowed to resume training, according to his agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey, his focus in Indianapolis this week will be on the physical examination and interviews.
The belief is that the Patriots will be on his interview schedule. Carter will return to the field for the Penn State pro day on March 28.
Starting for most of his three seasons with the Nittany Lions, Carter decided to forgo his final year of eligibility in favor of entering the draft. He is doing so on the back of his best season: appearing in 16 games in 2024, the 6-foot-3, 260-pound edge defender registered 12.0 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles, and was named both an unanimous All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
The Patriots targeting Carter in the early first round of this year’s draft would therefore not be a surprise. The team of new head coach Mike Vrabel, after all, has a definitive need along its defensive edge.
Entering the offseason, the only pure edges on the roster are sixth-year man Anfernee Jennings as well as inexperienced backup options Titus Leo and Truman Jones; Oshane Ximines is set to enter unrestricted free agency after missing most of 2024 with a torn ACL.
The first prospects arrived at the Combine on Sunday, with interviews and medical examination beginning Monday and Tuesday, respectively. On-field workouts are set to start Thursday and run through Sunday, March 2.