Could Abdul Carter be in for a big year with the New York Giants? Furthermore, could he be in for a big career with the franchise that selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft?
It’s always hard not to get too excited about a generational talent like Carter, but what the Giants already have on defense, it’s easy to dream about how dominant the former Penn State star could and will be in a Giants’ uniform almost immediately…well, if you are a Giants fan.
In already showing his presence in Giants’ minicamp, Carter’s future looks bright in the Big Apple. The scare part of the talent pass rusher is that he still has a high upside which if he reaches that projection will lead to him wreaking havoc on the NFC East and rest of the NFL for years to com.
Can Abdul Carter be the next Lawrence Taylor?
That is a high expectation even for a player with tremendous talent. But it’s hard to ignore the impact he can have on the game as an outside linebacker. The speed, the athleticism and the punishing force in which he plays the game with makes it hard not to see the similarities with Lawrence Taylor especially if he impacts the game immediately.
In projecting the 14 instant impact newcomers on defense/special teams, NFL.Com’s Gennaro Filice has Carter on his 2025 NFL All-Rookie team for that explosiveness he brings to the Giant’s defense.
Filice writes:
“Widely considered the best defensive player in this draft class, Carter is unsurprisingly the favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year. His explosiveness off the edge jumps off the screen, but with Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux in place as the incumbent outside linebackers, what’s the plan with the No. 3 overall pick…
“Carter is undoubtedly one of the best 11 on this defensive roster, and playing alongside Burns, Thibodeaux and DT Dexter Lawrence, the rookie’s poised to get the kind of one-on-one matchups he can feast on.”
What to expect in Year 1:
Giants’ defensive coordinator Shane Bowen will get Carter on the field as much as he can. The Penn State product will quickly show that he is the real deal in the NFL by feasting on opposing offensive lines and recording a total of 9.5 sacks. What will stand out about Carter in Year 1 is the number of pressures he will get on the quarterback.
As Filice points out, when Carter is on the field with players like Lawrence, Burns and Thibodeaux, it will expose favorable matchups for Carter until offenses start game-planning for him. Even with that, Carters’ explosiveness will be too much as he will quickly compare with fellow Penn State alum Micah Parsons and have long-time Giants fans reminiscing about the dominance of Lawrence Taylor. Yes, he is that good.