Giants' selection of Abdul Carter in the 2025 NFL Draft makes a young starter's status with the team complicated to say the least
The New York Giants might not have landed the QB the fan base was hoping for late into the season, but they ended up with one of the best players in the 2025 NFL Draft class. The team officially selected Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the third pick in the NFL Draft. Giants select […]
The New York Giants might not have landed the QB the fan base was hoping for late into the season, but they ended up with one of the best players in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
The team officially selected Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the third pick in the NFL Draft.
Giants select Penn State Edge Abdul Carter with the third pick in the 2025 NFL Draft
Abdul Carter is without a doubt the top edge rusher in the class, and many around the league believe he is the best pass rusher to come out in over three years. This move by the Giants creates a dynamic duo on their defensive line, with Carter joining Brian Burns to create every offensive lineman's nightmare.
Carter had a successful three-year career at Penn State, where he finished with 23 career sacks and 41 career tackles for loss. He saved his best season for last by setting his career high with 12 sacks, and he led the Big 10 and FBS with 24 tackles for loss. There is no doubt about it, the Giants have added a star to their defense.
This move does add an interesting wrinkle, though, as it puts the team's 2022 first round pick, Kayvon Thibodeaux's future with the team, seriously in question. He will either be bumped down to just a rotational player, or the team could look to trade the 24 year old pass rusher. Maybe they could even use him as a part of a trade to try to get back into the first round to take a QB. One of the first moves the team announced after drafting Carter was that they would exercise Thibodeaux's fifth-year option. Which doesn't give much of an answer at this time. This move could make him a more attractive trade target for opposing teams, but it also keeps him under contract with the Giants one additional year
Abdul Carter Scouting Report
Edge Rusher, Penn State
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
21 years old (01/02/2004)
A to Z Sports Expected Draft Position: 2
Pre-Draft Round Projection: 1
"For a player who has only been playing edge defender for one season, you wouldn't be able to tell when watching Carter. He began his career as an inside linebacker for the Nittany Lions, but has morphed into a blue chip pass rusher. His combination of explosiveness, bend, closing speed, and versatility give him first round upside. The comparisons to former Penn State star Micah Parsons will only get louder. The Philadelphia native was rated as a consensus four star player by every major recruiting platform coming out of La Salle College High School, opting for the Nittany Lions over LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, and USC among others." – Ryan Robert A to Z Sports NFL Draft analyst
Career Projection: All-Pro Potential