The Giants chosen Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with Thursday evening’s No. 3 general decide, the closest factor to a consensus elite prospect on this 2025 NFL Draft.
“You can’t have enough pass rushers,” Giants GM Joe Schoen mentioned earlier than selecting a go rusher within the prime 5 for the second time in his 4 drafts.
Carter, 21, is an explosive transformed off-ball linebacker who posted 12 sacks, 24 tackles for loss and 68 tackles in his third and closing season for the Nittany Lions.
He sustained a shoulder damage late within the school season. And medical doctors discovered a stress response in Carter’s proper foot on the NFL Mix in late February.
However medical doctors in the end suggested Carter in opposition to having foot surgical procedure. And though Carter didn’t work out at Penn State’s Professional Day, Schoen mentioned earlier than the draft that Carter “feels good, he’s working out, he’s running … I don’t think there’s going to be much room for pause there.”
He’s a Day 1 starter on the sting that Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen will pair with Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux to hopefully enhance New York’s go rush.
“Everybody watched the Super Bowl, right? Philly rushed with how many, four the whole game? That’s one way to do it,” Schoen mentioned earlier than the draft. “[He is] a novel participant like him that performed off the ball for 2 years and has solely performed one season off the sting and had a extremely good season.
“You’ve got Kayvon, and you’ve got Burns, you’ve got Dex inside,” the GM added. “It gives you a lot of options. He’s a versatile player. He’s young, just 21 years old and an exciting player to watch.”
The Giants hope to get even a sliver of the sort of NFL manufacturing that Micah Parsons, the final nice Penn State edge rusher, has given the Dallas Cowboys since former Giants GM Dave Gettleman handed on him in 2021.
Like Parsons, Carter’s scouting report is just not squeaky clear.
Carter was accused of assaulting a tow truck driver one 12 months in the past throughout an alleged incident wherein the driving force suffered a fractured rib. Carter additionally has been characterised as extra individualistic than team-oriented in his on-field soccer strategy by some scouts, needing extra self-discipline to remain in construction slightly than all the time pursuing a giant play.
One scout mentioned he initiatives to grow to be an “elite” beginning defensive finish, although, and he confirmed NFL groups so much by enjoying by means of a foul shoulder throughout a Faculty Soccer Playoff loss to Notre Dame.
Penn State’s Abdul Carter (11)
The Giants tried to commerce as much as the No. 1 general decide to take Miami quarterback Cam Ward however weren’t in a position to get there.
Throughout a spring’s price of negotiations, Schoen supplied the Tennessee Titans the Giants’ No. 3 general decide this 12 months, the Giants’ first-round decide subsequent 12 months and extra, per ESPN. However Tennessee mentioned no thanks.
New York reportedly was essentially the most aggressive crew in pursuit of that No. 1 general choice.
This marks the second straight 12 months Schoen has supplied a future first-round decide to attempt to transfer up for a quarterback.
Final 12 months, Schoen included picks No. 6 and No. 47 general and the Giants’ 2025 first-rounder in a bundle to the Patriots for No. 3 to take North Carolina’s Drake Maye. However New England wouldn’t take it.
So the Giants caught and took a go rusher after the Jacksonville Jaguars traded as much as No. 2 general with Cleveland to chose Colorado receiver/nook Travis Hunter.
And now they nonetheless want a QB.
Initially Printed: April 24, 2025 at 8:37 PM EDT
