INDIANAPOLIS – Abdul Carter is here at the NFL Combine, and he's on a mission.
The Penn State edge rusher wants to be the first player selected in the NFL Draft.
"It's very important for me – it's one of the goals I made before the season, and something I've always talked about, it's what I've worked for," Carter said. "I feel like I am getting close to that. I just have to keep working, keep putting the effort it, and accomplish my dreams. I feel like it's very realistic.
"I feel like I am the best player in the country, and the best player should be selected No.1."
Here on Wednesday morning, Carter said he's already met with the Titans, who currently hold the No.1 pick of April's NFL Draft.
Carter described it as a good visit.
"I feel like it well," Carter said. "I was impressed with the coaches, and I feel like they were impressed with me. They have the No.1 pick, and I want to be the No.1 pick."
A first-team All-America performer at Penn State in 2024, the 6-foot-3, 248-pound Carter tallied 23.5 tackles for a loss, and 12 sacks last season. In three college seasons, Carter racked up 39.5 tackles for a loss, and 23 sacks.
Carter is considered one of the draft's top prospects – he's the No.1-rated prospect on NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50 list, and he's the No. 2-rated prospect on ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest big board.
Carter has been a popular pick of the Titans in mock drafts.
"Abdul is a very good player," Titans GM Mike Borgonzi said when asked about Carter here on Tuesday. "I don't want to go into many evaluations of the players, but there are certainly some players at the top that fit that description of generational talent."
Carter is taking part in interviews here in Indianapolis, but he's not working out because of a shoulder injury he suffered near the end of Penn State's season.
Carter will undergo medical tests at the combine. He said on Wednesday he's probably at "90 percent" right now after recently being cleared to work out.
He plans to perform at an "elite level" at his Pro Day next month, and he's confident he'll perform at a high level in the NFL.
"I'm probably about 90 percent right now, but this next month is when I really start to get close to 100," he said. "I think I bring energy, effort, versatility. And I feel like when the biggest moments come around, that's when I play my best.
"I feel like if you look at all the great teams, all the great teams that won Super Bowls, you have that one standout defensive player, and I feel like I'm that."
