Penn State moving [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag] from linebacker to the defensive line has been paying off ina. big way this season. Carter is hoping to finish this regular season on a high note as he polishes off his résumé for some of college football’s top honors this award season.
Carter was named a finalist for this year’s Bronko Nagurski Award, presented by the Charlotte Touchdown Club. The Nagurski Award is given to college football’s best defensive player each year. The Nagurski Award is an award that has never been awarded to a Penn State player, so Carter is looking to make a little Penn State program history in the process.
Carter comes into Week 13 of the season leading the Big Ten in tackles for loss with 18. He also leads the Penn State defense with 8 sacks and is among the team leaders in total tackles with 45.
Carter is one of four finalists for this year’s Bronko Nagurski Award. He is up against Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron, Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, and South Carolina edge rusher Kyle Kennard. Carter leads his fellow finalists in tackles for loss. Kennard has 2.5 more sacks than Carter.
Last year’s winner of the Bronko Nagurski Award was Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts. The last Big Ten player to win the Nagurski Award was Chase Young of Ohio State in 2019.
Carter has also been named a finalist for the Lombardi Award and a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
Carter and Penn State take on Minnesota in their final road trip of the regular season on Saturday afternoon. A win will put Penn State one step closer to a potential home game in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
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