Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders have challenger for No. 1 pick not named Travis Hunter

The upcoming 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wis. will be circling the minds of fans for months, especially those whose teams will be picking at the top of the first round. Of course, which college football standout should be selected with the No. 1 overall selection will be at the forefront of the debate as we approach April.

The Tennessee Titans are officially on the clock, owning the worst record in football (3-14) and claiming the top pick via strength of schedule tiebreakers. Who they'll select there is as good as anyone's guess but there are a few names that immediately come to mind.

Quarterbacks Cam Ward (Miami) and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) are considered the best passers available and Tennessee could certainly move on from the failed experiment that is Will Levis. But if the Titans wish to simply take the best available player on the board, wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter (Colorado) is also a very valid option.

The two-way super star is considered the best player in the draft and Tennessee will certainly be considering his talents. However, a new challenger has emerged that will have fans and draft pundits rethinking their mocks.

That is Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.

Penn State's Abdul Carter might beat out Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter as the No. 1 selection

Despite Penn State's heartbreaking 27-24 loss in the Orange Bowl to Notre Dame, they'll certainly have several players selected in the upcoming draft. Among them will be defensive star Abdul Carter, who logged a sack and a tackle for a loss on Thursday in the Nittany Lions' Orange Bowl loss.

Carter was a game-wrecker, making life miserable for Notre Dame's offensive line and quarterback Riley Leonard all while dealing with a left shoulder injury that required heavy wrapping.

Across his 2024 season, Carter racked up 11 sacks, forced two fumbles and had 40 solo tackles. It's been a career year for him and he's drawn the attention of several pundits, mocked by ESPN's Jordan Reid to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6 overall.

While that does appear to be a likely landing spot for the defensive stud, his performances this season have proven he is an immediate impact player that will shore up a lot of teams' liabilities on that side of the ball.

Fans will want to pay close attention to Carter's draft stock in the coming months and don't be surprised if he's being considered higher than No. 6. He could potentially be a Top 3 pick when all is said and done. Scouts and general managers will have their eyes on him at the Scouting Combine in February, and someone will end up the lucky benefactor of his talents.