Big draft visit and Mike Vrabel's honest take reinforce idea that Patriots are quietly hoping for perfect scenario
FOXBOROUGH, Mass – Penn State edge Abdul Carter spent the day with the New England Patriots on Monday. And just a day later, head coach Mike Vrabel took a moment to speak with reporters in a pre-draft press conference. So, A to Z Sports asked him how the visit with Carter went and what he's […]
FOXBOROUGH, Mass – Penn State edge Abdul Carter spent the day with the New England Patriots on Monday.
And just a day later, head coach Mike Vrabel took a moment to speak with reporters in a pre-draft press conference. So, A to Z Sports asked him how the visit with Carter went and what he's seen from him on tape.
"Well, we're not going to discuss any of the interactions in the 30 visits, but I appreciate the knowledge of him being in here," Vrabel said. "I don't think he took too many of them."
He's not wrong. Carter only took visits with the teams who hold the top four picks – Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, and Patriots. So, that signals there is a possibility that he could be available when New England is on the clock with the No. 4 overall pick.
"But I would say that the tape is dynamic. There's a lot of great qualities of a disruptive pass rusher," he added. "Very slippery, loose, sudden player."
Carter has been compared to Dallas Cowboys star and fellow Penn State alum Micah Parsons.
“What separates them, but is always going to make them two different, is they’re probably the only two guys in the league that I can think of at this moment that can play multiple positions at a high level,” Lance Deane, a personal trainer who has worked with Parsons and Carter, told Sports Illustrated. “They’re both freak athletes.
“I think one of the reasons that you can stamp that they’re very similar is that they both have the ability to play multiple positions at a high level in the NFL. And there’s not a lot of guys that you can say that about. It’s deeper than them being good pass rushers.”
Across his three seasons with the Nittany Lions, Carter finished with 173 total tackles, 13 passes defended, 23 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and one interception. He had his most dominant year in 2024, recording 68 total tackles, four passes defended, 12 sacks, and two forced fumbles.
So in short, if he's available for New England, this pick should be a no-brainer.
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An interesting development
