James Franklin’s Penn State program began spring practice sessions earlier this week. Expectations could not be much higher for the 2025 Nittany Lions, a talented group coming off a 13-3 season.
Speaking of expectations, Penn State will hold its annual Pro Day showcase for NFL teams inside Holuba Hall today. The testing will begin Friday morning.
How many PSU players will work out? Five Lions were invited to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis a few weeks back – edge rusher Abdul Carter, tight end Tyler Warren, safeties Kevin Winston Jr. and Jaylen Reed and linebacker Kobe King
Carter will not work out today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Schefter on Thursday reported Carter, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, is still recovering from the shoulder injury he suffered in the Lions’ Fiesta Bowl win over Boise State on Dec. 31.
Carter still played in played in Penn State’s 27-24 loss to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9, harassing the Fighting Irish with just one good shoulder. Carter finished with two tackles for loss, a sack, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup.
Carter, a first-team All-American, finished his final season at PSU with 23.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, nine quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and four pass breakups.
Here are some storylines for Penn State’s other players who were at the combine in Indianapolis and could work out at Pro Day inside Holuba Hall.
Warren vying to be the first tight end taken in the April draft. Warren, who caught 102 passes for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns in his final Penn State season, was also a first-team All-American in 2024.
Warren and Carter went in the first 14 picks in NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s most recent mock draft. Jeremiah has Carter going to Cleveland at No. 2 overall and Warren going to Indianapolis at No. 14 overall.
Will Winston run a 40? Winston, who had surgery to repair a partially torn ACL on Oct. 1, told PennLive in late February that he he was hopeful he could run a 40 for NFL scouts at Penn State’s Pro Day. Winston led Penn State in tackles in 2023 with 61 and added five pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
Reed looking to climb up NFL draft boards. Reed had a 2024 stat line that was reminiscent of what former PSU safety Ji’Ayir Brown did in his final season of 2022. Reed was a force against the run and the pass, finishing with a team-high 98 stops, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three interceptions, three pass breakups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry.
Reed followed up his strong 2024 by running a 4.49-yard dash in Indianapolis.
King a candidate to run at PSU Pro Day. King checked in at 6-1, 248 in Indianapolis and did some testing but did not run a 40-yard dash. King finished second on the Lions in tackles last season with 97, adding 8.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.