How Penn State football’s top-15 draft picks will fit with their new NFL teams
Penn State had two players go in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, with Abdul Carter going to the New York Giants at No. 3 overall and Tyler Warren going to the Indianapolis Colts.
How will Carter and Warren fit with their new teams? Let’s take a look.
Abdul Carter to the New York Giants
Carter will join New York defensive end Brian Burns and could potentially form one of the best pass rushing duos in the NFL rather quickly. He’ll step in as a likely starter and should be in the running for the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year award.
He will likely supplant current New York defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux as a starter, and should be in position to pin his ears back and get after quarterbacks. The Giants have tried to build out their defense from the trenches, and having Burns as a primary pass rusher and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence pushing the pocket from the inside should only help Carter out.
He has elite quickness and bend off the edge, with a plethora of ways to beat opposing offensive tackles. And that’s a good thing, as he’s in a division with plenty of the best in the NFL at the position, including Laremy Tunsil of the Washington Commanders and Lane Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Carter will have to continue developing his pass rush plan of attack to maximize his potential — which could be as one of the best pass rushers in the league. As a run defender, he still has room to grow, including putting on some added weight and learning to use his athleticism to beat opposing tackles.
If he gets there, Carter should reach all of his upside and could be transformational for a Giants defense that will be relied upon to produce given the team’s offensive struggles. He’ll provide immediate production while also giving New York the type of upside teams search for at the top of the draft. While this has been regarded as a weaker draft class than most, it’s not because of someone like Carter, who likely would have found himself in the top five of most recent draft classes.
Tyler Warren to the Indianapolis Colts
Warren slid a few picks on draft night but has landed somewhere that could earn him a lot of production as a rookie. Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is the team’s top option but is better served as a No. 2 in a very good offense. That’s not to say Warren will step in right away as a No. 1 option, but there should be room for him to get plenty of targets early for the Colts.
There is reason to be concerned with the quarterback situation in Indianapolis, with former first-round pick Anthony Richardson struggling in 2024. That being said, Warren is a big target who should help out the Colts’ offense quite a bit. He can be a security blanket for Richardson — the type of player who can get the ball underneath and make plays after the catch. Or he can be the type of downfield threat that can go win in contested catch situations and allow Richardson to take the type deep shots he tends to excel at. Not to mention, he should be able to help in the running game as a quality blocker who has room to improve in that regard. Still, he has shown the willingness and physicality to be a high-level blocker, giving reason to believe he can be an asset in the running game.
It helps, too, that Warren can be a versatile weapon in the offense. He can be an option in the running game as a short-yardage quarterback (although Richardson excels there) and could even allow head coach Shane Steichen to draw up trick plays that involve him throwing a pass on occasion.
Warren will need to improve at creating separation in the NFL to reach the highest end of his upside, but he’s shown the willingness to work at Penn State and should be able to maximize his pro career because of it.
