Carter Selected Finalist For Lombardi AwardCarter Selected Finalist For Lombardi Award
Mark Selders

Carter Selected Finalist For Lombardi Award

Junior defensive end among four finalists for best lineman award

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State junior defensive end Abdul Carter was named a finalist for the Lombardi Award on Wednesday.

 

The Lombardi Award, established in 1970, is presented to an outstanding lineman who best epitomizes the values of leadership, courage, performance and discipline on and off the field.

 

He is Penn State’s first Lombardi Award finalist since Carl Nassib won the award in 2015.

 

Abdul Carter · Jr. · DE · 6-3 · 252 · Philadelphia, Pa. · La Salle College High School

  • Selected semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
  • Member of watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
  • Tabbed a Preseason All-American by the Action Network (1st team), Associated Press (2nd team), CBS (2nd team), ESPN (2nd team), The Athletic (2nd team) and the Walter Camp Award.
  • Garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and second-team from the media as a linebacker in 2023 and named second-team All-Big Ten by the media and third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches in 2022.
  • Tabbed second-team All-American by Sports Illustrated.
  • Made switch from linebacker to defensive end following 2023 season.
  • Owns 149 tackles (90 solo), 33.5 tackles for loss, 19 sacks, five forced fumbles, an interception and 12 pass breakups in his third season in Happy Valley.
  • Has seven career games with 2+ tackles for loss and five games with 2+ sacks.
  • His 19 sacks for tied 11th all-time at Penn State.
  • In 2024, has 45 tackles (29 solo), 17.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and two forced fumbles.
  • Carter sits second in the FBS (1st in B1G) with 17.5 tackles for loss and is seventh nationally (2nd) with eight sacks.
  • Ranks third among Power Four defensive linemen, and second in the Big Ten, with 29 solo tackles.
  • Against Kent State, tallied four tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
  • Notched a career-high four tackles for loss and two sacks, including a strip-sack, against Illinois.
  • Earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, Senior Bowl Co-Defensive Player of the Week, Bednarik Award Player of the Week and Bronko Nagurski Trophy Player of the Week honors following the Illinois game.
  • Had three tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss against UCLA.
  • At USC, recorded a solo sack among 1.5 tackles for loss.
  • Collected two sacks and four tackles vs. Ohio State.
  • He notched six tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble against Washington. He had two tackles for loss, including a strip-sack, in the first quarter.
  • He garnered Bednarik Award Player of the Week and Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week honors.
  • Recorded two tackles for loss at Purdue, both in the second quarter.

 

The 2024 Lombardi Award dinner will take place on December 11, 2024.

 

No. 4 Penn State travels to Minnesota on Saturday, Nov. 23. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on CBS.

 

For club and ticket information for the 2024 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.