Abdul Carter Wants To Wear Retired Number With Giants

Originally posted on The Spun | By Hunter Hodies | Last updated Apr 25, 2025 9:46 AM ET

On Thursday night, Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter was the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

After the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to select Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, the Giants made it easy and selected Carter. They were interested in Carter throughout the pre-draft process and are ecstatic about making him a Giant.

He will pair very nicely with fellow pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Carter talked with Dallas Cowboys star pass rusher Micah Parsons after the Giants selected him and made it clear that he has a different number in mind for his NFL career than his college jersey number (11).

"I don't know, but I got a different number in mind," Carter said. "56 sounds real good, but we gotta have a conversation, I don't know."

He wants to wear Lawrence Taylor's 56, but he'll have to talk with the team since Taylor is one of the best players in franchise history. Taylor was selected second overall in the 1981 NFL Draft and spent his entire 13-season career with the Giants.

He played in 184 games for them, compiling 142 sacks, and was an eight-time All-Pro. He was the first defensive player to win the NFL MVP award unanimously in 1986 before being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

Carter wants to be the next great Giants pass rusher, and he'll have that opportunity right away since he will start in week one. He finished the 2024 season with 68 total tackles, 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, and four passes defended.

The Giants made a second first-round selection later in the draft, trading back into the first round to select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart. Dart will sit behind Russell Wilson during the 2025 season after Giants head coach Brian Daboll announced that Wilson will be the starter on Thursday.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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