Abdul Carter, possible No. 1 NFL draft pick, advised to not have foot surgery

Doctors have advised Abdul Carter against having foot surgery, the former Penn State star’s agent told ESPN.

Carter, a potential first overall pick in the NFL draft, has a stress reaction in his right foot and was facing the possibility of surgery after tests revealed the injury Wednesday.

But after undergoing further scans on his foot, Carter will work out at Penn State’s pro day March 28. Agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN that he now considers the stress reaction to be a “nonfactor” in Carter’s draft stock.

“I couldn’t be more confident that this will be a nonfactor where he’s drafted,” Rosenhaus said Thursday. “He will put on a show at his pro day.”

Carter already wasn’t expected to work out at this week’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, but that was because of a shoulder injury the standout pass rusher suffered against Boise State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals in December.

He instead was scheduled to undergo medical exams and participate in interviews with teams in Indianapolis. Defensive linemen and linebackers were among the first players to arrive at the combine, and those players started their team interviews Monday, with medical exams scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday and on-field workouts set for Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Carter met with reporters Wednesday morning and made his case for being picked No. 1 in April’s draft.

“I feel like I’m the best player in the country, and the best player should be picked first,” he said. “It’s the work I put in with my dad, who trained me, and all the sacrifices I made. I know I’m the best.”

He was asked about his health overall, saying he’s “probably about 90% right now,” but nothing specifically about his foot came up during the session.

Carter is the No. 2-rated prospect on ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest Big Board, the No. 1 prospect in ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller’s latest rankings and No. 2 in ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid’s rankings.