In less than a month, [Penn State](https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/) star [Abdul Carter](https://www.pennlive.com/topic/abdul-carter/) will walk across the stage at Lambeau Field, greet NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and celebrate being a top selection in the 2025 draft. Carter, the self-proclaimed best prospect in this year’s class, might even go No. 1 overall.
About 1,000 miles away from Green Bay, Carter’s high school coach will watch the first round of the NFL draft from either his house or a bar in the Philadelphia area, beaming with pride. Joe Leitner, the linebackers coach at La Salle College High School, promised he’ll be wearing his white No. 11 Penn State jersey, as he always did when watching Nittany Lion games.