NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. has published his first 2025 mock draft, and two Penn State players are going in the first round.
As one could imagine, the two are defensive end Abdul Carter and tight end Tyler Warren.
Kiper has Carter, the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, going fourth overall to the Patriots.
He has Warren, the John Mackey Award winner, going 14th to the Colts.
The Best: Penn State TE Tyler Warren School’s 1st Mackey Award Winner
If Carter goes in the top four— and Kiper’s not the only one who thinks he will— he’d be Penn State’s highest-drafted player since Saquon Barkley went second overall to the Giants in 2018. If Warren goes 14th, he’d be Penn State’s highest-drafted tight end since Kyle Brady went ninth overall to the Jets in 1995.
Here’s what Kiper had to write about both of them.
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Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now, Abdul Carter
“Carter is instinctive and fast, and he always seems to be around the ball. He converted from off-ball linebacker to the edge this season and dominated to the tune of 12 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss. For a New England team that struggled to get pressure, Carter would be a massive addition. Coach Mike Vrabel could move him around and use his disruptive traits to improve the Patriots’ league-low sack count (28).
KIPER ON WARREN
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: Tyler Warren
“If the Colts want to maximize quarterback Anthony Richardson, they should be adding to his supporting cast this offseason. Warren catches everything, hauling in 104 of his 135 targets this season for 1,233 yards and eight scores. Penn State used him all over the place— slot, out wide, in-line, in the backfield— and he produced no matter the alignment. He could slide right into the Colts’ lineup, with Kylen Granson and Mo Alie-Cox both set for free agency.”
The NFL Draft is scheduled for Thursday, April 24 and will run through Saturday, April 26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
