The New York Giants are sitting in a perfect position to land an elite talent at the top of this year’s NFL Draft. With the No. 3 overall pick, the Giants could take a star pass rusher prospect who has the potential to transform their defensive line.
The Giants could take Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter third overall
Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter is arguably the best overall prospect in this year’s draft class. The 2024 All-American totaled 12.0 sacks and a nation-leading 24.0 tackles for loss last season as he established himself as one of the best defensive players in the country. He could be the Giants’ pick when they are on the clock at third overall.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper projected that Carter would be the pick for Big Blue in his latest mock draft:
“I see elite traits on the tape,” Kiper explained to justify the selection. “And considering the Giants have holes all over their roster, they might opt for the best player on the board. They’d have something with Carter, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence II up front.”
Drafting Carter could give the Giants one of the NFL’s best defensive lines on paper
Carter could join a unit already headlined by a pair of star pass rushers in DT Dexter Lawrence II and EDGE Brian Burns. Former fifth-overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux is the team’s other starting edge rusher, and he’s an ascending talent in his own right.
A pass-rushing unit featuring Thibodeaux, Lawrence, Burns, and Carter might be among the deadliest in the NFL. The three edge rushers would need to rotate with one another and split the playing time to get everyone on the field. However, this should keep each of the pass rushers fresh and healthy.
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On obvious passing downs, all four of the Giants’ pass-rushers could take the field together, harkening back to the days of Steve Spagnuolo’s NASCAR package that took the league by storm and helped propel the Giants to a Super Bowl championship in 2008. The unique personnel package aims to put all of the team’s best pass-rushers on the field at the same time, sacrificing some size and run-stuffing ability in favor of speed and pass-rushing prowess.
The Giants’ defense could be transformed overnight by the addition of Carter. He possesses rare athleticism and a unique skill set that should make him an impactful defender from several alignments. If the Giants do take Carter with the third-overall pick, they could form a four-headed monster and one of the NFL’s best defensive lines on paper.
