Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter has declared for the NFL Draft, with Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, sharing Carter’s decision with ESPN just hours after the Nittany Lions’ season ended Thursday in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Carter, a projected top-five overall pick and the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, played through a left shoulder injury in the Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame and was still a force. The All-America honoree recorded his 12th sack of the season and played both defensive end and linebacker. It was a gutsy performance by a player who realistically could’ve sat the game out. Carter, Penn State’s coaches and Rosenhaus himself — Rosenhaus Sports Representation served as Carter’s name, image and likeness representation this past year — insisted Carter would play if he was healthy enough to do so.

“I’m really proud of him. He gutted it out,” Penn State coach James Franklin said Thursday night. “He showed tremendous mental and physical toughness and was disruptive in the game.”

Carter moved from linebacker to defensive end this season in a position switch that he spearheaded. Long expected to be the next great at Linebacker U, Carter felt he could be more effective in college and in the NFL if he became an edge rusher. The results proved him correct. During Penn State’s 16-game season, Carter finished with 23.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. Carter compiled five tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry in Penn State’s 27-24 loss to Notre Dame.

Before Thursday night’s game, Carter posed for a photo with Nittany Lions legends LaVar Arrington and Micah Parsons. All three have worn number 11 at Penn State, and Carter, like them, should be the next high draft choice. He took his time walking off the field and through the tunnel before peeling off his blue-and-white jersey one last time. — Snyder

Analyzing draft stock

You could almost see Carter self-correcting and learning as he went this season, his first as a full-time edge, and by the end he was simply unblockable. Not only is Carter one of the most physically gifted humans in this draft class, but you won’t find many players who made a legitimate jump from start to finish the way Carter did. He showed up in every big game Penn State had and was downright dominant for stretches during the Nittany Lions’ run to the CFP semis. We haven’t come close to seeing Carter’s best football yet. He’ll literally get better with every snap next season, which is a scary thought. An easy top-five player in this class. — Baumgardner

(Photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)