It’s that time of the year, folks. The NFL Draft is creeping up, and the hype is getting downright chaotic. One day, a quarterback’s the golden boy, and the next, he’s getting shredded on live TV for not throwing a spiral tight enough to cut through butter. Meanwhile, defensive monsters like Penn State’s Abdul Carter are out here reminding the world that quarterbacks might be the face of the league, but they sure aren’t the backbone. With every mock draft that drops, another name gets boosted while someone else falls. But Carter? He’s not just in the mix—he’s in the middle of a full-blown campaign, making sure those 32 teams don’t forget what he brings to the table. And, if you ask Brian Baldinger, Carter ain’t just another name on the board. He’s a problem. A good one.

On March 26, former NFL guard and current NFL insider Brian Baldinger hopped onto NFL Network and had a message for every GM thinking about sleeping on Carter. “You watch that sizzling, you talk about, Mike. There’s a lot of sizzle, and it goes on and on and on because he started day one as a freshman coming out of high school in Philadelphia,” Baldinger said. “And then he just kept piling on stats.” Abdul Carter dominated his senior season, racking up 12 sacks, 66 quarterback pressures, and 43 defensive stops. And that’s not just production—it’s a straight-up threat to the opposing offenses.

Baldinger doubled down: “He’s got a good bend right here, and then he’s just relentless in his pursuit. You watch right here—right down the middle, right to the quarterback… But this is what you see. He just keeps showing up anywhere on the field. He has a relentless pursuit, a hunger to play the game, and a variety of skills that really show up…(Abdul Carter’s) gonna be a real chess piece for any teams lucky enough to draft him.” Relentless? Check. Versatile? Check. Absolute nightmare for quarterbacks? Oh, you better believe it. The man’s among the big 10 defensive players of the year. Any team lucky enough to land this guy isn’t just getting a player; they’re getting a full-blown chess piece that can move wherever and wreck shop.

Look, Abdul Carter’s got that first-step explosion, bends like a pro, and closes on quarterbacks like he’s got a personal vendetta. But what really makes Carter different? He ain’t just a one-trick pony. He can dip, rip, and get to the QB in a blink, but he’s also got the versatility to move around. And also, he can bull-rush up the gut, fly off the edge, or track a play down from the backside—whatever it takes, he’s on it. And he’s not just about sacks, either. Carter can drop back in coverage, lock down the flats, and play wherever you need him. He’s the ultimate chess piece—plug him in anywhere, and he’ll make plays.

Historically speaking, the No.1 overall pick has been a quarterback’s playground. Since 2014, eight out of the last eleven top selections have been QBs. The only exceptions? Jadeveon Clowney (2014), Myles Garrett (2017), and Travon Walker (2022)—all defensive monsters in their own right. But Carter? He’s ready to crash that party.

Why Abdul Carter believes he’s the undisputed No. 1 pick

On March 24, Abdul Carter took to X (formerly Twitter) to make his case loud and clear: “#1 overall pick, 30 days away… InshaAllah. Don’t let all this ‘QB need’ talk fool you. Everyone already knows who the best player is, and no quarterback is even in that discussion. Like I said, the best player goes number one. Generational—remember that.” Translation? He ain’t here for the quarterback propaganda. He knows what he brings to the table, and he’s making sure everyone else does, too.

The Tennessee Titans are sitting pretty with the No.1 pick, but let’s be real—everyone’s expecting them to go for a QB, especially with Miami’s Cam Ward waiting in the wings. But should they? Let’s look at the numbers. The Titans managed just 32 sacks last season, tying for third-fewest in the league. They also cut Harold Landry III, their leading pass rusher. You don’t need a football genius to tell you that’s a problem. So, do they roll the dice on another quarterback and hope he pans out, or do they take a sure thing in Carter—a DE who’s built to terrorize the AFC South for the next decade?

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has already cosigned Abdul Carter’s potential: “Carter has the urgency and athletic talent to bombard the stat sheet. He explodes out of the blocks and can force tackles to abandon their technique to go catch him. He can bend and flatten at the top of the rush or hit a game-breaking spin counter inside…he’s good with his hands, but needs to keep working in that area to prevent long punchers from knocking him off-course.” Basically, this isn’t a gamble. This is a blueprint for success.

The clock is ticking, and Carter’s making sure his name stays in bold print until draft night. With the league shifting more toward offensive firepower, defenses need weapons more than ever. And Abdul Carter? He’s not just a weapon—he’s the whole arsenal. The only question is, are the Titans smart enough to pull the trigger?