With the college football season officially over following Ohio State’s victory over Notre Dame in the National Championship, many NFL draft analysts have begun releasing their first of many mock drafts for the upcoming draft. Perhaps the most well-known among them is Mel Kiper Jr., who has been a fixture of NFL draft coverage for decades.
In his first mock of draft season, Kiper Jr. joined many other draft analysts by having two Penn State players inside the top 15 picks. First was the explosive Abdul Carter, who he chose for the New England Patriots at fourth overall. Carter had a tremendous final season as the Nittany Lions’ best defensive player, racking up 12 sacks and 24 tackles for loss on his lone season as a defensive end.
The Patriots were the worst team in the NFL at sacking the quarterback in 2024, so his pass-rushing talents would be welcome in Foxborough. New head coach Mike Vrabel knows the importance of disrupting opposing QBs, having played in the NFL as a pass rusher himself back in the day.
Kiper Jr. then pegged the Indianapolis Colts as a fit for Tyler Warren at 14th overall, a popular landing spot for the massive tight end prospect. Warren had a historic season as the engine for Penn State’s offense in 2024, finishing with 104 receptions for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns. He even chipped in 218 yards and four more scores on the ground.
The Colts seem to still be interested in developing the talented but flawed Anthony Richardson into their QB of the future, so giving him a reliable target who also has the versatility to line up all over the offense would be a wise decision. Warren has the makings of a true difference-maker not dissimilar to what Brock Bowers has been for the Raiders in his first season.
Overall, these fits make sense for both the teams and players involved. The Colts and Warren especially seem to be a fit that many analysts seem to love, and I have a feeling he won’t make it past them in the draft come…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Football | Nittany Lions Wire…