Abdul Carter sends heartfelt farewell to Penn State after declaring for 2025 NFL Draft

After watching his Nittany Lions come up just short of Notre Dame in their pursuit of a National Championship, Abdul Carter made a move no one saw coming: he officially declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.

… okay, maybe that was the worst kept secret in college football, as the dominant edge rusher is expected to be, at worst, a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but before he officially put Happy Valley in the rear-view, “Darth Vader” Carter wanted to send some love to the people who got him to this position, from his high school teammates back in Philly all the way to his current home in State College.

“First and foremost, I want to start by thanking my father and mother for their constant, unwavering support. From the very beginning of my journey with the north Philly Aztecs, I would not be in the position I am today without them, and I will always honor the sacrifices they have made for me to achieve my goals thus far. To my teammates – it has been the greatest privilege of my life to take the field with you the last three years. The bonds we have built are forever, and that is something I truly cherish,” Abdul Carter wrote.

“To Coach Franklin and the entire coaching staff – thank you for making playing football at penn state the best decision of my life. Being from North Philly and Lasalle High School, playing here has always been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I will always be grateful for your commitment and dedication to helping me develop into the best version I can be on and off the field. Being able to carry on the legendary tradition of #11 will always be one of the greatest honors I’ve ever had.

“To the Nittany Lions fans, thank you for treating me like family from day one. You all are the reason why playing in happy valley is the greatest experience in all of college football. Moving forward, I am humbled and excited to announce that I am officially declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft. I look forward to competing against the best at the highest level and will give it my all to make the Penn State family proud.”

Originally signing with Penn State as a four-star recruit out of Glenside, Pennsylvania, the pride of La Salle College High School quickly established himself as a legend in Happy Valley for his impressive ability to take down opposing quarterbacks, instantly drawing comparisons to Micah Parsons for his size, speed, and jersey number. While only time will tell what jersey he ends up wearing next, be that a Cleveland Browns uniform, a New England Patriots uniform, or even a Carolina Panthers uniform, in the end, he will make every teammate, coach, and fan who participated in his journey proud along the way.