Giants Rookie Linemen React to Meeting Michael Strahan

It is safe to say that New York Giants rookie edge Abdul Carter has found himself in conversations with franchise legends in the weeks since he was taken third overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.

First, the greatest edge rusher in league history, Lawrence Taylor, told him that No. 56 would not be coming down from the rafters, that it would be on the rookie to earn his place in Giants history. Iconic quarterback Phil Simms joined Taylor, first expressing a willingness to unretire his No. 11 before revealing that his family had voted against it.

New York didn’t wait long before giving Carter another taste of the organization’s esteemed history. On Friday, Hall of Fame defensive lineman Michael Strahan spoke to the team during rookie camp.

Both Carter and third-round defensive tackle Darius Alexander reacted to Strahan’s rookie camp cameo at the ensuing press conference.

“Yeah, that's dope,” Carter said. “Seeing somebody as legendary, somebody in the Giants organization coming back, giving back, giving us great advice. It's dope to see him here.

“I would just say just speaking about the Giants history, knowing how much we've (won), knowing the history, the championships we've (gotten) and I just want to be a part of bringing that legacy back. Just bringing that greatness back to New York.”

Carter and Alexander will play integral roles on the Giants defensive line. The first-round pick is an injection of blue-chip talent that units rarely receive, further amplifying edge rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Adding both depth and potency to the unit shouldn’t be overlooked, and it allows defensive coordinator Shane Bowen to be more creative up front.

While Carter is the biggest young piece up front, the work would not be done without a starting-caliber tackle next to Dexter Lawrence. Alexander completes the unit.

“It was a great message just telling us to come in here, work hard and compete with each other and root for each other while we out there,” Alexander confirmed. “So, it was a good speech. Just tell us about the tradition of the organization where we got to hold the standard here. So, it was wonderful.

“Definitely. It's definitely good seeing him here and just preaching to us what he learned when he was younger. So, it definitely was a good day for us, and it was good to have him here as well.”

New York’s recent Super Bowl wins might have been headlined by clutch quarterback play, but they were built on talented, deep defensive lines that made elite offenses vulnerable. The Giants will enter the season with one of the league’s most talented defensive lines. If they can make good on Strahan’s advice, transcending those high expectations is more than possible.