Round 1, Pick 3 – Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
“The Giants pass on the available quarterbacks here and take the best player on the board instead. I like it. Carter is a twitched-up, explosive pass rusher with excellent bend and burst. Dropping him beside Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux will help the Giants field one of the best defensive fronts in the league.”
“Carter is a versatile, explosive defender who’s able to come off the edge and make plays in space when off the ball. Tackles have a tough time staying with his speed and bend as a pass rusher, and he flashes the power to win with a long-arm or bull rush move. He’ll more than complement Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns off the edge.”
“Carter was a relentless edge rusher at Penn State, and he’ll fit in with Brian Burns in the Giants’ 3-4 defense. He also should push Kayvon Thibodeaux for snaps — and perhaps for a starting role. Carter shifted from linebacker to edge last year at Penn State and became an unanimous first-team All-American and the Big Ten’s defensive player of the year. He finished with 12 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss. Perhaps most impressive, he fought through a serious left shoulder injury in the College Football Playoff and still dominated. That injury prevented him from combine testing, but his toughness trumps whatever numbers he forfeited in Indianapolis.”
Grade: Elite
“The Giants added enough at quarterback in free agency with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to give them the freedom to take one of the few obvious blue-chip talents in this draft. Carter’s 66 quarterback pressures ranked second in the FBS in his first season as a full-time edge rusher in 2024. He now joins a Giants defensive front that already features several impact players in Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns.”
“They had to pass on quarterback to take the best pass rusher in the draft. When the Giants won Super Bowls, they rushed the passer. Carter adds to talent up front. They can wait on the quarterback.”
“Along with Hunter, many evaluators in the league believe Carter is the best prospect in the draft. He was a menace for the Nittany Lions, totaling a nation-high 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks while earning first-team All-American status. At 6′ 3″ and 250 pounds, Carter has the size, speed and pass-rush tools to be a Day 1 star.”
“The Giants didn’t address one of their many offensive needs, but it’s hard to be disappointed when they opted for the best overall player.”
