How long has it been since the New York Giants have truly had a game-wrecker on their defensive front? You might have to go back to the golden era of Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Justin Tuck — or even to Lawrence Taylor himself. But early signs suggest that Abdul Carter, Big Blue’s 2025 first-rounder, could be next in that lineage.
The Penn State product was drafted No. 3 overall for good reason. A unanimous All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Carter was considered one of the most disruptive defenders in the nation after recording 12.0 sacks and 68 tackles in 2024.
Now his arrival adds even more firepower to a defensive line that already has Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Opposing offensive lines should be shaking in their boots, especially since none of them will be able to see double-teams.
Abdul Carter has already proven he's worthy of DROY
In just a very short time in the Big Apple, Carter made a quick impression on his teammates, especially Thibodeaux, who is nearing the end of his rookie contract. Giants.com’s Madelyn Burke reported that the 2022 top-five pick referred to working with Burns and Carter as a “constant growth mindset”.
“Man, he’s a beast,” Thibodeaux said at a Tuesday afternoon media session. ”He’s been doing his thing, he’s fast, explosive, smart. He gives us another guy up front to rush.”
In the Giants’ opening day of mandatory minicamp, he quickly proved he could live up to the generational billing. SNY’s Connor Hughes reported that Carter was a monster off the edge, recording four would-be sacks on the afternoon.
There may not be pads, but that should not take away from what the 21-year-old has quickly accomplished, especially as an early glimpse before training camp kicks off.
Carter is the overwhelming favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, as DraftKings has his odds at +250. The next-highest odds belong to Falcons EDGE Jalon Walker at +1000 then Jihaad Campbell, Travis Hunter, and Mike Green at +1200.
In recent seasons, the Defensive Rookie of the Year has gone to pass rushers with a knack for getting to the quarterback. Jared Verse won the award last season, continuing a trend that has bred multiple star EDGE rushers right out of the gate.
In their rookie seasons:
Name Sacks Fun stat
Will Anderson Jr. 9.5 22 QB hits
Micah Parsons 13.0 30 QB hits
Nick Bosa 9.0 16 TFL
If Carter delivers even close to that kind of production — say, eight–10 sacks and some clutch pressures — he’ll almost certainly be at the top of the ballot. Especially if the Giants defense shows meaningful improvement and flirts with a top-10 unit ranking in defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s second season at the helm.
The same site has him at an outside shot of winning Defensive Player of the Year, with Carter possessing +10000 odds. While it’s unlikely to happen, the fact his odds look like this before recording an NFL snap is telling about how he’s viewed both inside and outside of league circles.
Passing on a quarterback frustrated many when the Giants were on the clock, but Carter is already turning heads. He wasn’t just drafted to fill a need, his role is to help advance the rebuild and alter the trajectory of the franchise. And if his early flashes are any indication of what’s to come, it seems like Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll hit the jackpot and found a franchise cornerstone in the second consecutive draft.
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