Carter, Warren Selected In First Round of 2025 NFL Draft
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Penn State football defensive end Abdul Carter (3rd overall, New York Giants) and tight end Tyler Warren (14th overall, Indianapolis Colts) were selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday.
Carter and Warren became Penn State’s 43rd and 44th all-time first round draft picks. It marks the 11th time Penn State has had multiple first round picks in the same draft.
Penn State had multiple first round picks in a draft for the third time under head coach James Franklin.
website graphic.jpg
Carter is Penn State’s highest overall draft pick since Saquon Barkley was selected second overall by the New York Giants in 2018. He joins DT Bruce Clark (4th overall, Green Bay; 1980) and DE Courtney Brown (1st overall, Cleveland; 2000) as Penn State defensive linemen selected as a top five overall pick.
Warren is Penn State’s third tight end to be selected in the first round of an NFL Draft, joining Ted Kwalick (7th overall, San Francisco; 1969) and Kyle Brady (9th overall, New York Jets; 1995).
Penn State has had a tight end selected in each of the last three drafts, including Brenton Strange (2nd Round, Jacksonville; 2023), Theo Johnson (4th Round, New York Giants; 2024) and Warren. Penn State entered the 2025 draft tied with Georgia, Iowa and Michigan for the longest streak of tight ends drafted.
Penn State is one of two schools that has had a player selected among the first three rounds of the NFL Draft in 20-straight years, joining LSU. USC could also reach 20-straight years with a top-three round pick.
The Nittany Lions have a total of 47 players who have been drafted in the last eight NFL drafts, the most in an eight-year span for the program since 1990-97 (49 picks).
A total of 391 Nittany Lions have been selected all-time in the NFL Draft, which ranks seventh among Division I institutions. Penn State has had 56 players selected since James Franklin’s arrival to the program in 2014, including 25 taken on the first two days of the draft. In that span, Franklin is tied with Georgia’s Kirby Smart for the most defensive ends drafted (9) and most tight ends drafted (6).
Abdul Carter
Carter is Penn State’s 25th defensive end (47th defensive lineman) selected in the NFL Draft and PSU’s eighth defensive end selected in the first round and the ninth defensive end drafted in the James Franklin era, tied-most for any active FBS head coach since 2015.
He is the 17th Nittany Lion to be selected by the New York Giants all-time.
“I am so proud of Abdul for achieving his NFL dreams and being selected third overall by the New York Giants,” said head coach James Franklin. “Abdul is an exceptional football player who brings a ton of versatility to the NFL. He had the flexibility to play both linebacker and defensive end for us showcasing his impressive athleticism. I really enjoyed watching him grow and develop into one of the top edge rushers in the country, as he led the country in tackles for loss this past season and was a first-team All-American. He is a strong and disruptive defender who will be problematic for NFL offenses. I couldn’t be happier for Abdul and his family and I look forward to watching him create havoc on Sundays. We Are!”
“Abdul Carter has established himself as one of the top defenders to ever wear a Penn State uniform,” said defensive line coach Deion Barnes. “He has a tremendous opportunity with the New York Giants ahead of him, and I know he’ll thrive in that organization. He has great hands, quick feet, and a very detail-oriented approach to the game. Abdul made the transition from linebacker to defensive end look seamless and became one of the most disruptive pass rushers in the nation last season. It’s been incredible to watch him represent Philadelphia, stay in his home state and build a successful career at Penn State. I’m thrilled for Abdul, and I know he’s going to have an outstanding NFL career.”
Abdul Carter · DE · 6-3 · 252 · Philadelphia, Pa. · LaSalle College
Became Penn State’s 15th Unanimous Consensus All-American in 2024, the first since Saquon Barkley in 2017, and 45th Consensus All-American.
Was selected the Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the Smith-Brown Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Named a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA and The Sporting News.
Led the nation with 23.5 tackles for loss.
Finished second in the Big Ten, fourth in the Power Four and seventh overall nationally in sacks (12.0).
Voted All-Big Ten first team by the coaches and media.
Finished sixth all-time at Penn State in sacks (23.0), eighth in tackles for loss (39.5) and tied for 12th in forced fumbles (5).
Posted 10 career games with at least two tackles for loss.
Appeared in 42 career games, making 35 starts, and finished with 172 tackles (104 solo), 23 sacks, 39.5 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and 13 pass breakups.
During the 2024 season, placed third in a single season at Penn State in tackles for loss (23.5) and tied for sixth in sacks (12.0).
In 2024, he became the first Nittany Lion to post 10+ sacks in a season since Carl Nassib’s 15.5 in 2015.
Posted four tackles for loss against Illinois (9/28/24), the first Penn State player to do so in a game since Yetur Gross-Matos against Iowa in 2018.
Also posted four tackles for loss against Washington (11/9/24).
Tyler Warren
Warren is Penn State’s 24th tight end selected in the NFL Draft and the third tight end to be selected in the first round. He is the sixth tight end selected in the James Franklin era, tied for the most among active FBS head coaches since 2015.
He is the 23rd Nittany Lion to be selected by the Colts team all-time.
“The Indianapolis Colts have selected an unbelievable man who will make a tremendous impact on their organization for years to come,” said Franklin. “It has been an honor to have Tyler and his family a part of our program. He has been a tremendous mentor and teammate. Tyler was our program’s first-ever Mackey Award winner and will go down as one of the best tight ends in college football history. Not only did he set Penn State tight end records in touchdowns, receptions, receiving yards and 100-yard games, but he also earned two degrees from the University. I couldn’t be happier for him and am thrilled for this opportunity he has with the Colts. We Are!”
“Tyler Warren will go down as one of the best tight ends in the history of Penn State Football,” said co-offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Ty Howle. “He is going to be an incredible fit for the Colts. He played a huge role in our offense and can be used in so many ways, which will make him a very successful NFL player. Tyler is an incredible teammate. It has never been about him and has always been about his teammates and the success of the team. He is a tremendous person who comes from a great family, and he’s someone our younger players have had the privilege to look up to, learning from how he handles his business both on and off the field in a professional matter. I’m so proud of Tyler and it has been an honor to coach him.”
Tyler Warren · TE · 6-3 · 252 · Philadelphia, Pa. · LaSalle College
Won the John Mackey Award in 2024.
Finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Earned first-team All-American honors from the FWAA and The Sporting News.
Earned the Kwalick-Clark Big Ten Tight End of the Year Award.
Finished his career first among PSU tight ends in total touchdowns (25 total; 19 receiving, 6 rushing), receptions (153), receiving yards (1,839), receiving touchdowns (19) and 100-yard games (5).
Completed his career fifth all-time at Penn State in touchdown receptions (19), ninth in receptions (153) and 14th in receiving yards (1,839).
Closed out his career ranking tied for fourth among Big Ten tight ends in career receptions (153) and receiving touchdowns (19), and sixth in receiving yardage (1,839).
In 2024, became the Penn State single-season record holder for receptions (104) and was the only Nittany Lion to reach 100 catches in a season.
Posted single-season tight end program records for catches (104) and receiving yards (1,233).
Set the Big Ten tight end single-season record for receptions (104) and receiving yards (1,233).
Became the only Big Ten tight end since at least 1956 to have 4+ rushing touchdowns in a season.
Finished second in school history in 2024 for receiving yards in a season (1,233).
Set a Penn State and Big Ten tight end record with 224 receiving yards at USC (10/12/24).
The 17 catches against the Trojans were a Penn State overall record, bettering DaeSean Hamilton’s 14 receptions against Ohio State in 2014, and tied an FBS and Big Ten tight end record, set by New Mexico’s Emilio Vallev in 1967 and equaled by Northwestern’s Joe Harvey in 1982.
Penn State opens the 2025 campaign against Nevada on Saturday, August 30.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and ticket information for the 2025 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
