With the 2025 NFL Draft approaching, players are meeting with teams, working out at pro days and taking interviews with squads they may join in just a few weeks. Some players go into draft night hoping to be selected by a specific team, others are aiming for the first round, while a select few hope to be the first picked.

For Abdul Carter, going No. 1 overall is significant, calling it his “ultimate goal.” The edge rusher from Penn State emphasizes he is the best prospect this year, saying, “the best player should go first overall.”

He declared that, should he not be chosen first, he would use it as motivation:

“I think just my overall impact on the game… I step up when I’m needed the most when crunch time comes around. When you need somebody to make that big play, I feel like I’m the guy who makes that big play.”

Carter noted that it is not just about his individual impact; he also raises the performance levels of his teammates:

“I make people around me better… bringing extra attention to me, freeing up somebody else so they can make the play.”

The Tennessee Titans currently hold the first pick, and if they do not pick Carter, he will use that as fuel for his rookie year. He stated:

“If I don’t go number one, it wasn’t meant to be… that’s motivation.”

Additionally, Carter, who had 12.0 sacks last season, is continuing his recovery from a shoulder injury sustained late last season.