With the 2nd overall pick in the 2025 Bleeding Green Nation community mock draft, Cleveland Browns GM kjb304 selects …
Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
I know, the Browns have a lot of needs. Let’s review where the Browns ranked last year.
Team Profile
- -31.7% 32nd. Off DVOA.
- -30.1% 32nd. Passing DVOA.
- -17.6% 29th. Rushing DVOA.
- 4% 25th. Def DVOA.
- 16.7% 28th. Def Passing DVOA.
- -10.6% 15th. Def Rushing DVOA.
Not exactly the best team in the league, but I digress. Even with the worst numbers in the league, the Browns more than held their own against the Eagles. I fully expect the Browns will trade this away for a haul of picks to help everywhere, but for this exercise, I think Abdul Carter is the right pick. Also, full disclosure, I am a Penn State Grad but I promise this is not from being a homer. I will come full circle on the reasoning for the pick, but these are the numbers for Carter courtesy of Eric Fonton.
“Carter (6’3/250) has been a force since he stepped on campus in Happy Valley, earning Freshman All-American recognition with 10.5 TFL’s and 6.5 sacks. He played linebacker during his first two campaigns, earning 1st Team All-Big Ten accolades, before moving to Edge last year. Carter continued to excel at the new position and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year while accruing 12 sacks and a FBS-leading 23.5 tackles for loss to go with a 92.4 PFF pass rush grade that ranked number one nationally. He posted an elite 22.9% win rate with a 19.4% pressure rate while ranking 2nd nationally in both pressures (66) and stops (43)”
Watching Micah Parsons making the move from LB to DE in the pros and the success he had, James Franklin actually made the adjustment and moved Carter to DE his junior year and it paid instant dividends. These aren’t numbers against the low level Big Ten conference foes, Carter had a combined 3 sacks against Ohio State and Oregon. Carter was an absolute force in big games and showed up in the CFB playoff games as well. Even when Darth Vadar couldn’t use his one arm (currently no numbers for workouts due to surgery to fix that shoulder), he was still the best player and making plays all over the field in every game down the stretch. Big Ten was arguably the best conference in the CFB last year and Carter was the best defensive player from that conference.
Let’s check up on the perceived weaknesses for Carter. First one, slightly undersized DE. I have no issues about his size. Abdul Carter is the same exact height and a couple pounds more than Micah Parsons, or if you are old school like me, Derrick Thomas. Derrick Thomas was the first player I ever watched in college when he played for Alabama that Penn State couldn’t block. DT is the standard for this size, and while no one is quite like him, Parsons is very close and Abdul Carter is right there with the eye test. The other large knock I have read on Carter is his run defense. Once again, no worries there. The missed tackles aren’t from being blocked or not getting the RB/QB down, it is from being too aggressive and over-pursuing. I do remember yelling at the TV during PSU games the last three years watching him run past the point of attack. While that is a real liability as a LB, this is not nearly a concern at DE. Carter is also very coachable, which is the reason he came in as a high recruit and leaves as one of the best players in the CFB.
So why did we go with DE Carter for the Browns? Why not a QB? Why not offense? Didn’t the Browns just sign Myles Garrett?(No Howie magic to snag him sadly) The reason is the lessons we have watched Howie learn. Picking for need is how you get terrible results. Best Player Available. Browns have so many needs that they cannot afford to miss out on a true player maker in “hopes” that Ward/Sanders are actually good enough to be a franchise QB. I am not sold on either QB being good but I will let the people picking them make their cases for and against. There was no oline person that I would take over Carter as well. I also cannot shake the Super Bowl we just watched. Jalen Carter getting double-teamed while the other 3 dline had 1 on 1’s all game. Building on the lines and making a strength even a larger strength is how you win in the NFL. Sweat and Williams just got paid 185 or so million combined. I see the same thing for the Browns. You double Myles, Carter is on the other side 1 on 1 and I like those chances. Also helps to have the old Andy Reid on the sidelines across from you not making any in game adjustments, but still, the Eagles dline won that game almost by themselves.
Browns should take Carter and feel good they got the best player in this draft.
2025 BGN Mock Draft Order
1) Titans (JoeDirtsBarber): Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
2) Browns (kjb304): Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
3) Giants (The Player Formerly Known as Mousecop)
4) Patriots (ReginaldHtower)
5) Jaguars (eaglenomics)
6) Raiders (dkays)
7) Jets (Stick19154)
8) Panthers (89Tremaine)
9) Saints (FierceDisc65)
10) Bears (DrprofBubbles)
11) 49ers (granthill7)
12) Cowboys (Be subpar for Ja’Marr)
13) Dolphins (thehead92)
14) Colts (green1us)
15) Falcons (All_Hail_Howie)
16) Cardinals (Good Bad Ideas)
17) Bengals (ablesser88)
18) Seahawks (herbalonius)
19) Buccaneers (Hoosinole)
20) Broncos (Silverlark60)
21) Steelers (Dr.MidnightGreen)
22) Chargers (LancGuy)
23) Packers (Leo Bedio)
24) Vikings (krikkebelgium)
25) Texans (Aint1stULast)
26) Rams (Booth12)
27) Ravens (pheebthegoose)
28) Lions (Neil Dutton)
29) Commanders (Mailata_in_a_Miata)
30) Bills (PhilaWolverine)
31) Chiefs (niels.rosenquist)
32) Eagles (Philly21)
Now it’s time for you to vote for who YOU think should be selected in the 2025 BGN Community Consensus Mock Draft.
1) Titans: QB Cam Ward
2) Browns:
