As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, Penn State star defensive end Abdul Carter’s draft stock has been rising. Carter had a strong season, finishing with 68 total tackles, including 43 solo efforts, two forced fumbles, and four passes defended. He is generally viewed as a potential top-10 pick, with some even saying he should go in the top five.
However, NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah thinks Abdul Carter should be considered as the first pick.
NFL Analyst Daniel Jeremiah Calls Abdul Carter the Best Player in the Draft
As draft talk has ramped up, several players have been named as options to be the first overall pick. Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders are common picks from pundits while Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter has also been named as an option for the Tennessee Titans, who currently hold the No. 1 pick. However, Daniel Jeremiah thinks Abdul Carter is better than all of them.
He appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday, Jan. 23, to talk about the draft, saying, “Yeah, for me Abdul Carter’s the best player in the draft. So, when I heard that, just thinking ‘blue player,’ you know, an elite player, someone who’s gonna step in and be a Pro Bowler right out of the shoot, that was what I heard.
“To me, Travis Hunter is so unique in how you can use him and all the different things he can do he can do. So, that at least perked me up.”
Jeremiah continued, discussing his view on the top prospects and who he thinks will go at the top versus who he thinks should go at the top.
“Whether it’s Cam Ward vs. Shedeur, they have a need at quarterback, it’s going to be one of those two guys, that perked me up a bit to say, ‘They might be taking a long-range view and just taking the best player.’ To me, Abdul Carter, at a premier position, I would argue the second most important position on the field, to have a guy at that level of a talent, I’d be all in on that.”
"For me Abdul Carter is the best player in the draft..
Maybe the Titans are taking a long range view here and taking who they think is the best player available" ~ @MoveTheSticks #PMSLive https://t.co/HruCgr5Eh6 pic.twitter.com/RJf1mhdnYC
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 23, 2025
The Titans have several options available to them with the first pick. Most analysts seem to have the opinion that they will take a quarterback. It is the most immediate need for the Titans as Will Levis (2024 QB+ grade: 61.9, 34th in the NFL) was not effective at the position after showing flashes in 2023.
However, the Titans are also expected to need a long rebuild to be successful. As a result, if they do not think Sanders or Ward can be a franchise quarterback, it could be better for them to take Carter and wait until 2026 to draft a QB.