Abdul Carter is an elite edge rusher at the defensive end position and has incredible versatility that makes him my top-rated prospect in the NFL Draft this year.

Carter began his playing career at Penn State as an off the ball linebacker where he saw a great deal of success. A credit must go out to the Nittany Lions coaching staff however as they realized both his potential and value being greater coming off the edge. The fact that Carter has not only experience at both positions but has flourished, makes him a unique prospect who can be used in a variety of ways whether it be run or pass defense in the backfield or dropping into coverage and making a play.

The ability to do everything on the defensive side of the ball is not something many prospects offer, and it makes Carter a generational talent. His ability to play hash to hash is not just evident in his incredible speed, but also his intelligence to read a play that is moving away from him and be able to still make it to the ball. Teams such as Notre Dame in the playoff, routinely attempted to move the ball away from Carter and found that he still was in on nearly every tackle. His knowledge of the game as well as his position allows him to leverage his physical gifts and ensure he is always a dominant factor.

Each of these elements starts at the get-off point as Carter has yet to make first contact with the line in front of him. His get-off speed is truly incredible as once the center has snapped the ball, Carter is practically horizontal, launching himself forward by his legs that are awaiting a calculated movement based on the tackle. Carter is always the first to come out of his stance among both the offense and defense, providing an advantage to making it into the backfield. As soon as he makes first contact, he has already put himself into the backfield, requiring elite tackle play to have a slim chance at slowing him down long enough. Carter simply will not be stopped at the lineman's point of attack.

Carter's gifted speed and awareness are not his only traits that separate him from not only his draft class, but classes over the years. He is a violent defender who is capable of tearing off blocks in a fashion that likens him to fellow Penn State alum, Micah Parsons. It is easy to compare the two as they play the game very similarly and wore the same 11 on their navy and white jerseys. There are key differences though. Carter as a physical specimen is slightly heavier and broader in the shoulders giving him greater length to leverage as well as muscle mass. These physical elements give Carter the advantage over Parsons as it pertains to point of attack strength and ability to lose an approaching lineman.

Carter's skillfulness can be seen in more than just his physical being, speed, and intelligence. He is also an edge defender with a deep bag of moves. Nearly every play on tape, Carter can be seen making a “hesi” move in his get-off approach. This is where a defender will fake a lineman out by insinuating a pursuit in one direction before breaking the opposite way. A poor defender might not have the speed to do so or the ability to truly sell the move, but Carter routinely proves he can do both. When a lineman is dropping in pass protection, they must anchor themselves against the approaching player. The hesi move weakens the initial anchor or even can sell a lineman to anchor in the wrong place. Either way, Carter is beating the lineman as without an anchor, it is nearly impossible to block a speedy and physical rusher.

To finish off the hesi move and get past the lineman, Carter is fond of the swim technique. The swim technique sees that Carter's abdomen and chest are vulnerable, but his speed and contact prevent lineman from taking advantage. The length in his arms also prevent the lineman from getting too close to him as they would like to secure him in place. The power seen in a simple swat or extension of the arms is immeasurable. Carter one way or another is home free in the backfield and has the opportunity to finish the play.

Contrary to some people's beliefs, Carter's pass rush abilities are extremely applicable to run defense as well. His quickness and physicality allow him to confront and beat lineman who are now pursuing him instead of the other way around. His hand swipes become more common in the run game and the simple reality is Carter's speed is very different from the normal defensive ends. DEs are traditionally slower than linebackers both inside and outside. Carter however is a transitioned linebacker who can still play the position. His transition saw him put on weight in the form of lean muscle mass rather than fat. Carter still very much has the capability to play multiple positions and likely will no matter where he is drafted. There is simply too much talent to force him into one box.

Abdul Carter is one of the most gifted prospects that I have seen in a draft class, and I believe firmly that he will become one of the league's premier players. In a class that has a weakness in QBs, I believe that teams at the top, specifically Tennessee, New York, and Cleveland who have QB concerns should draft Carter. Adding a talent such as Carter offers an immediate starter who will surely boost a defense and allow for time to sort out the offense. Chaos is what Carter brings and creating defensive chaos can allow teams to sneak out wins while still being weaker offensively. It is obvious that every team will search constantly for a franchise QB until they find one, but Carter offers support and time to front offices looking to make the right calls. No team will have regret taking him, only if they choose to pass on Carter.