The Stat that Best Defines Giants OLB Abdul Carter's Game

Many people who evaluate NFL prospects believe the New York Giants selected a generational talent when they selected Abdul Carter with the third overall pick. 

Carter has the perfect blend of size, athleticism, flexibility, and a motor that does not quit. It is easy to see why some believe he will walk into the league and be a disruptive force in New York, especially when you put him around all the other talented defensive linemen on this team. 

So the question becomes, what will make him special? What quantifiable data point can we consider to help us define why he will be so effective in the league? 

When people think about Carter's athleticism, they usually think about his ability to get to the quarterback. Sacks are a glamor statistic in the NFL, and a fanbase excites when a player accumulates high sack numbers. 

As a Penn State alum, Carter has drawn comparisons to Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons, but Carter's collegiate sack production dwarfs Parsons'. 

During his three years in Happy Valley, Carter recorded 23 sacks, and he saved his best for this past season when he tallied 12 sacks. Parsons only had 6.5 sacks in his two seasons on the field. 

Even if we only take Carter's first two years, his 11 sacks still outpace Parsons'. He will enter the NFL as a much more polished and developed pass rusher than Parsons. 

Even though pass rushing is a glamorous statistic, it is not what will define whether Carter becomes an elite player in his position. He can make all the sacks in the world, but the greats get to the quarterback and everybody. 

Tackles will determine whether he is considered one of the elites. He may not have recorded many sacks, but Parsons was a tackling machine at Penn State.

He recorded 192 tackles over his two seasons. So when he hit the NFL, the sacks began to pile up, and so did the tackles. He had 84 tackles, including 64 solo tackles.

That is the difference between the specialist and the truly great edge rushers. The greats’ effect on the game is felt in multiple ways, not just when the quarterback has the football. 

Carter has the chance to be that type of player. He recorded 172 tackles at Penn State in his three seasons; 104 were solo tackles. Carter mainly performed on the edge, unlike Parsons, who played inside linebacker. Those are impressive statistics for a guy in college playing on the edge. 

His motor has allowed him to be dominant, which will be the catalyst for his success in the NFL. His ability to consistently chase, even when the football is going away from him, is the most impressive thing he does, and it jumps off the screen when you see it. 

His speed, quickness, and motor make him a menace in the backfield. Usually, when you see a player with many tackles for loss, you attribute most of them to sacks, but in 2024, Carter tallied 23.5 tackles for loss. 

When you eliminate his 12 sacks, that still leaves 11.5 tackles, which is phenomenal. His ability to be disruptive in the backfield without making a sack sets him apart, and tackles, not sacks, is the stat that will define his greatness in the NFL.

JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! Follow and like us on Facebook and Instagram. Don't forget to check out our YouTube channel. And if you want to send a letter to our mailbag, you can do so here.

More New York Giants Coverage