Kiper projects two Penn State football stars as top 15 picks in NFL Draft

It’s shaping up to be a potentially historic 2025 NFL Draft for the Penn State football program. In his latest big board, ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper has multiple Nittany Lions hearing their names called early in the Draft’s opening night on April 24.

Released on Thursday, Kiper’s updated first-round mock-up has a pair of Penn State football standouts coming off the board within the top 15.

Star edge rusher Abdul Carter is currently predicted to be selected No. 2 overall, a pick presently held by the Cleveland Browns. While the Browns went 3-14 this season, the opportunity to line up opposite 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett could strike fear into the hearts of NFL offensive coordinators.

© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Carter finished his junior season as a consensus first-team All-American, collecting 23.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. He totaled 172 tackles, 39.5 tackles for loss, and 23 sacks during his three years in Happy Valley.

Ten picks later, Kiper projects do-it-all tight end Tyler Warren to be picked at No. 12. Currently, that selection is held by the Dallas Cowboys.

Warren toppled school records this fall, finishing seventh in the Heisman voting and becoming the program’s first Mackey Award winner. He concludes his Penn State football career ranking fifth all-time in career receiving touchdowns (19), ninth in career receptions (153), and 14th in career receiving yards (1,839).

Could Penn State football see a historic NFL Draft this spring?

© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

If Carter and Warren come off the board early, it would be the third time since 2021 and the second straight year that the Nittany Lions have put forth multiple first-round selections. If the duo goes as Mel Kiper projects, it would be the highest pair of Draft picks for Penn State football in the James Franklin era.

Penn State football has had multiple first-round NFL Draft picks ten times in the program’s history. However, only twice (1995, 2003) has the school seen more than two Nittany Lions be selected on the Draft’s opening night.

And that figure will likely stay at two for at least one more year. Kiper currently has Nittany Lions star defensive back KJ Winston as the No. 3 safety in this spring’s Draft, which would translate to a second or third-round selection.

While Winston looks to boost his Draft stock with the upcoming NFL Combine and Penn State Pro Day, the junior safety will have much to prove as he recovers from the partially torn ACL that ended his Nittany Lion career early. Penn State football has still never had a defensive back selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

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