Abdul Carter could be another Cleveland franchise defender, according to NFL draft analyst Todd McShay.
Abdul Carter Continues Surge Toward Possibly Playing in Cleveland
Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter will make a team very happy when they select him. With a blend of size, explosion, and production, fitting within the confines of many defenses will not appear as a problem.
Instead, flashing double-digit sack totals and general disruptiveness will make life difficult for opposing teams. Under those circumstances, draft analyst Todd McShay discussed this in an article, reversing course from an earlier statement, stating:
“On Saturday, I posted on X that “I’m starting to hear more and more about Hunter to Cleveland at No. 2.” Since then, the rumor mill has gone into overdrive. I want to warn folks that general manager Andrew Berry is notorious in NFL circles for keeping his decisions in a vault, so I’m still not ruling out Abdul Carter here.”
“But Hunter just makes too much sense for an organization with an excellent defense but not a lot of offensive firepower. Notice that I listed Hunter as WR/CB, not the other way around. I get the strong sense that that’s how Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski will view Hunter in Cleveland—he will play an important role on both sides of the ball, but contributing as an offensive playmaker will be the top priority.”
Now, as we all understand that spring brings NFL draft lying season, meaning you will often hear a ceaseless stream of rumors and leaks surrounding the draft, from positioning to team fits. In all honesty, some of what filters out will ultimately be considered truth.
At the same time, make sure to take much of the subterfuge with the largest grains of salt. However, Carter to Cleveland makes sense for a few reasons. When McShay mentioned Browns general manager Andrew Berry by name, the wheels begin to spin.
Positional Need?
Granted, Cleveland signed Myles Garrett to a lucrative four-year, $160 million deal to remain on the shore of Lake Erie. With his seventh-straight season of 10 or more sacks, Garrett occupies the right side and the majority of the attention. Adding Carter would present quite the dilemma for opponents for the next few seasons.
Normally, when a team employs a dominant pass rusher, they will often roll blocking and the protection scheme in his direction. With Carter, teams may need to deploy either a sixth lineman or operate from a two-tight end set. Unless a team chooses 12 personnel on a regular basis, it will affect their execution. Cleveland.com offers their own take.
Consensus Pick?
With just about everyone predicting Miami quarterback Cam Ward, five of the most well-respected draft sites logged their thoughts. In this Yahoo article, three of the five sites think that Carter will make his way to northeast Ohio, explaining:
“Such parity creates a first round with lots of potential and there are multiple pivot points early on. Miami quarterback Cam Ward is the favorite to go No. 1 overall. Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter are expected to go in the next two picks.”
“After that, there are many different ways the draft could go. The Patriots at No. 4 could realistically choose an offensive lineman, wide receiver or even one of Hunter or Carter if there’s a second quarterback in the top three picks (most likely Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders).”
That type of mass agreement over various platforms stands out. Normally, draft analysts possess their own set of standards and criteria.
KEEP READING: Everything You Need to Know About Abdul Carter’s Roots- Parents, Ethnicity and More
For the Cleveland Browns, drafting Abdul Carter feels like the smartest, safest pick that could actually pay off. Deshaun Watson and his unmanageable contract hangs over the franchise like a dark cloud. So, investing in a quarterback could be a bit difficult. Truthfully, the versatile Travis Hunter is the only other player that could reasonably fit into what the B
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