Intercollegiate Athletics

Five Nittany Lions taken in 2025 NFL Draft

Four others sign with teams as unrestricted free agents

Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter was drafted third overall by the New York Giants in the 2025 NFL Draft. Carter is the University's highest overall draft pick since Saquon Barkley was selected second overall by the New York Giants in 2018. He joins defensive tackle Bruce Clark (fourth overall, Green Bay, 1980) and defensive end Courtney Brown (first overall, Cleveland, 2000) as Penn State defensive linemen selected as a top-five overall pick. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

GREEN BAY, Wisc. — Five Penn State football players were selected during the 2025 NFL Draft, held April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In addition, several other Nittany Lions were signed as unrestricted free agents following the draft.

Players drafted included:

  • Abdul Carter, defensive end — New York Giants (1st round, 3rd pick)
  • Tyler Warren, tight end — Indianapolis Colts (1st round, 14th pick)
  • Kevin Winston Jr., defensive back — Tennessee Titans (3rd round, 82nd pick)
  • Jaylen Reed, defensive back — Houston Texans (6th round, 187th pick)
  • Kobe King, linebacker — Minnesota Vikings (6th round, 201st pick)

With this year's draft, Penn State has had at least five selections in each of the last eight NFL Drafts. It also marks the first time in program history that Penn State has five or more draft picks in eight straight seasons.

Penn State joins Alabama and Georgia as the only FBS programs with five or more draft picks in the last eight seasons.

The Nittany Lions have a total of 50 players who have been drafted in the last eight NFL Drafts, the most in an eight-year span for the program since 1987 to 1994 (54 picks).

A total of 393 Nittany Lions have been selected all-time in the NFL Draft, which ranks seventh among Division I institutions. Penn State has had 59 players selected since James Franklin's arrival to the program in 2014, including 25 taken on the first two days of the draft. In that span, Franklin has the most defensive backs selected (16) among active FBS head coaches.

In addition, four players so far have signed with teams as unrestricted free agents, including:

  • Sal Wormley, offensive lineman — Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Julian Fleming, wide receiver — Green Bay Packers
  • Coziah Izzard, defensive tackle — Kansas City Chiefs
  • Jalen Kimber, cornerback — Tennessee Titans 
Last Updated April 27, 2025

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