The New England Patriots have so many roster needs to address in the 2025 NFL Draft, which is why it's tough to make a firm prediction on which position they should upgrade using the No. 4 pick in the first round.
One position that should be considered is edge rusher, and the best player in the 2025 draft class who fits this description should be in action Thursday night when Penn State plays Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Abdul Carter is a major reason why Penn State has advanced to this stage of the playoff. He is dealing with an injury, but Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin told reporters Wednesday that he anticipates Carter playing in the Orange Bowl.
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Carter is quick, explosive, athletic and powerful. He's strong enough to bulldoze through offensive linemen and sack the quarterback, and his speed allows him to track down ball carriers in open space. He's the total package for a defensive end.
Watch Abdul Carter run down this play. pic.twitter.com/AGHuNHDiw9
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) November 16, 2024
Carter was a quality pass rusher for Penn State as a freshman and sophomore, but his performance really went into another stratosphere as a junior.
He has tallied a career-high 11 sacks with 40 solo tackles, two forced fumbles and three pass breakups in 14 games so far this season. The two-best teams Penn State played in the regular season were Illinois and Ohio State, and Carter tallied two sacks in both games.
The Patriots desperately need a playmaker who can rush the passer and wreak havoc in the opposing backfield. They ranked dead last in the league with 28 sacks in 18 games, and nine of those sacks came against the Chicago Bears in Week 10. So the Patriots had 19 sacks in the other 17 games combined. That's what we call a non-existent pass rush.
It's impossible to win in today's NFL with a pass rush so lackluster. And the AFC is loaded with top-tier quarterbacks, including Buffalo Bills superstar Josh Allen inside the Patriots' division.
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There have been eight defensive ends selected in the top four over the last nine drafts. The only draft bust among these players is Solomon Thomas, who went No. 3 overall to the 49ers in 2017. But the rest of the group is largely Pro Bowl and All-Pro caliber. Myles Garrett is pretty much a lock to be a Hall of Famer at this point.
- Joey Bosa, 2016, No. 3: 72 sacks, 17 forced fumbles in 107 career games, four-time Pro Bowl selection for Chargers
- Myles Garrett, 2017, No. 1: 102.5 sacks in 117 games, six-time Pro Bowl, three-time All-Pro, 2023 AP Defensive Player of the Year for Browns
- Solomon Thomas, 2017, No. 3: 18.5 sacks in 115 career games between 49ers, Raiders and Jets
- Nick Bosa, 2019, No. 2: 62.5 sacks in 82 games, five-time Pro Bowl, one-time All-Pro, 2022 AP Defensive Player of the Year
- Clelin Ferrell, 2019, No. 4: 17 sacks in 89 games between the Raiders, 49ers and Commanders
- Chase Young, 2020, No. 2: 22 sacks in 60 games between Commanders, 49ers and Saints
- Travon Walker, 2022, No. 1: 24 sacks in 49 games for Jaguars
- Aidan Hutchinson, 2022, No. 2: 28.5 sacks in 39 games, one-time Pro Bowl
A strong case could be made for the Patriots targeting a wide receiver with the No. 4 pick, and Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan has enormous talent and size. A left tackle at No. 4 makes a lot of sense, too, and LSU's Will Campbell and Texas' Kelvin Banks Jr. are the top-rated players at that position.
But if Carter is available at No. 4, the Patriots should strongly consider drafting him. Pretty much every contender has a player in the front seven who can wreck the game for the opponent. The Patriots don't have anyone close to that level right now.