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Penn State alum picked as NFL rookie with best situation for success in year one: Newsstand

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•05/14/25•

GregPickel

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New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll greets linebacker Abdul Carter (51) during rookie minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. (Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images)

Penn State news, notes, and updates for May 14 include one analyst’s opinion of Abdul Carter’s fit with the New York Giants. It headlines today’s newsstand.

NFL.com analyst Marc Ross ranked the 10 rookies who are in the best possible situations to succeed in year one as a pro. Carter tops the list. The G-Men made him the No. 3 overall pick back in April. And, he took the field with his new franchise for the first time during rookie minicamp last weekend.

“The defensive line was one of the few bright spots for the Giants in 2024, with a front led by Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns helping Big Blue tie for the eighth-most sacks (45) in the league,” Ross writes. “The addition of the uber-dynamic Carter should make the unit even better, with defensive coordinator Shane Bowen able to deploy the Giants’ three top edge rushers — Carter, Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux — in multiple ways . Carter was the consensus top edge rusher in this year’s draft, boasting the skill set and tenacity to relentlessly wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks.”

The 15th unanimous All-American in Penn State history, Carter is a solid favorite at FanDuel to win the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honor in 2025-2026. He joins a strong contingent of Nittany Lion alumni in the NFC East that includes but is not limited to Dallas Cowboys defender Micah Parsons and running back Miles Sanders, plus Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and receiver Jahan Dotson.

Headlines of the day

Davion Brown on Penn State: ‘They do it right, on and off the field’: Snyder, BWI

James Franklin-era all-time Penn State team | Safeties: Horstman, Daily Collegian

Is a Penn State safety being forgotten about? A prediction for Anthony Poindexter’s group and more post-spring thoughts: Pickel, BWI

How a presidential committee and a 64-year-old law could be the key to the next era of college football: Staples, On3

What is Penn State getting in four-star receiver Davion Brown?: Pickel, BWI

Eying starting job, Cooper Cousins eager to lift Nittany Lions’ offensive line: Bauer, BWI

Quote of the day

“I’ve been feeling like Penn State is home for a minute now. I knew where I wanted to play. “Penn State was just that place that I wanted to be. When I went down there, I really bonded with the coaches more. I went there on Thursday and we went out and watched the draft that night, had a good time. It was fun just talking ball with them. I also felt like I really saw how much I fit in that system when I left that visit, too.”

New PSU WR commit Davion Brown to BWI on why he picked the Lions.

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