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Penn State Nittany Lions edge Abdul Carter on the red carpet before the NY Giatns selected him third overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Is This NY Giant Most Important for Team's Success?

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Alex House | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The difference between the New York Giants playing competitive football every week and remaining an afterthought during the 2025 season could be one man. And he is a rookie.

When NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that Big Blue selected Penn State outside linebacker Abdul Carter with the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft, Giants fans gained a completely new outlook regarding their team's future. It is as if the clouds instantly started to drift away from MetLife Stadium, making way for brighter days ahead.

But Giants fans don’t want to wait much longer for the sun to shine on this squad. The Giants will look to Carter to offer immediate reinforcements. How quickly he settles into his new NFL environment could determine how this team looks after the end of the season.

Jared Dubin of CBS Sports believes Carter is the most critical non-quarterback on the Giants entering next season.

Although Dubin acknowledges the stout front-seven that defensive coordinator Shane Bowen already has at his disposal, he thinks the highly touted outside linebacker has the potential to catapult the unit into the upper echelon.

"The Giants already have one defensive lineman -- Dexter Lawrence -- who is essentially impossible to block," he said.

"They also have two strong edge rushers on Brian Burns and, to a lesser extent, Kayvon Thibodeaux. But Carter is a higher-level prospect than either Burns or Thibodeaux was -- a player who drew pre-draft comparisons to Micah Parsons.

"If he comes remotely close to living up to that hype, the Giants will have a truly dominant defensive front."

The NY Giants may have to lean heavily on Abdul Carter

John Jones-Imagn Images

New York ranked ninth in the league with 45 sacks last season, so its pass-rushing floor should already be set at a respectable level. The question is, though, can this solid defensive line morph into a genuine monster? Abdul Carter holds the answer to that incredibly intriguing query.

It may seem unfair to put the Giants' defensive ceiling on top of a rookie's shoulders. After all, he has only one year's worth of experience as an edge rusher, battled multiple lingering injuries throughout the winter, and is arguably on the smaller side for his position.

However, lofty expectations are unavoidable when speaking of someone of his athletic caliber.

Carter can disrupt opposing offenses in multiple ways, using an array of moves to shake off blockers and end plays. Getting to the quarterback is his specialty, as demonstrated by the 12 sacks, 52 total pressures, and 22.6 pass-rush win rate he posted with Penn State last season, but he left his mark on skill position players as well.

The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and unanimous All-American also accumulated 24 tackles for loss, 43 solo tackles, and two forced fumbles. That stuffed stat sheet does not fully encapsulate the impact he had in University Park, however.

Abdul Carter propelled the Nittany Lions to a 13-3 record and an appearance in the College Football Playoff Semifinals. Although the program remains haunted by its lack of signature victories in the James Franklin era, this explosive OLB infused new energy and hope into Penn State.

He plans to have the same striking effect in the Meadowlands. Carter is the defibrillator the Giants desperately need after two agonizing campaigns in a row.

How powerful will that electric charge be? Fans are excited to find out.

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This article first appeared on New York Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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