Some injury questions were raised earlier this week about one of the top prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft, and it sounds like at least one of those questions has been answered.
Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter underwent tests recently that revealed he has a stress reaction in his right foot. The next step was for the All-American to meet with specialists to determine whether or not he should undergo surgery before the draft in April.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Carter has received good news from doctors. The 21-year-old has been told he does not need surgery. Carter is now planning to participate in his Pro Day at Penn State on March 28.
Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said he is fully confident the injury will have no impact on Carter’s draft stock.
“I couldn’t be more confident that this will be a non-factor where he’s drafted,” Rosenhaus said Thursday. “He will put on a show at his pro day.”
Rosenhaus had said on Wednesday that one option for Carter would have been to have a pre-emptive surgery, get a screw inserted in his right foot, and be back in action in an anticipated eight weeks. The fact that he does not need a procedure is very positive news.
Carter was a stud during his three seasons in college at Penn State and was named a unanimous All-American as well as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. The 6-foot-3, 259-pound defender had 12.0 sacks and a Division I-leading 24 tackles for loss last season.
Carter has been projected to go as high as No. 1 in the draft. He recently sent a very confident social media message to NFL teams. While there will likely be some concerns about Carter’s foot, he is the type of generational talent that is well worth the risk.
