It’s been over a decade since the New York Giants struck fear into opposing quarterbacks with a truly dominant pass rush. Think back to the Super Bowl runs — the edge speed, the collapsing pocket, the chaos off the snap. That identity has slowly faded, replaced by flashes of pressure rather than a full-on tidal wave.
But that could all change if the Giants use the third overall pick on Penn State’s Abdul Carter.
A Raw Prospect With Sky-High Potential
Abdul Carter isn’t your polished, plug-and-play type just yet. He’s raw, but in the best way — like an untapped oil well with pressure building underneath.
At 6’3″ and 252 pounds, Carter brings elite athletic traits to the table. Last season, he recorded 66 pressures and 13 sacks across just 350 pass rush snaps. That kind of production, in limited chances, is rare. His burst off the line, bend around the edge, and speed-to-power ability all scream top-tier NFL upside.
He’s still learning the nuances of the position, but the Giants wouldn’t be drafting a finished product — they’d be investing in a future game-wrecker.
Building Around a New Defensive Identity
The Giants don’t have to abandon their existing pieces to make this work. In fact, Carter would slot into a group that already has the bones of something special.
Kayvon Thibodeaux, selected fifth overall in 2022, continues to develop. Brian Burns, acquired to bring immediate juice off the edge, is one of the most explosive pass rushers in the league. And then there’s Dexter Lawrence — the immovable object in the middle who already draws double-teams on a regular basis.
Add Carter to that mix, and you suddenly have a defensive line rotation that can come at quarterbacks from all angles — and with serious heat.
Third-and-long would turn into a nightmare for opposing offenses. Thibodeaux, Carter, and Burns on the field at once, pinning their ears back, while Lawrence bullies the interior? That’s not just pressure — that’s a four-man wrecking crew.
Options Open Behind the Line
If the Giants double down by drafting another defensive tackle in the later rounds to slot in beside Lawrence, they’d complete one of the youngest, most dangerous pass rush combos in football.
It’s not hard to imagine Carter standing up as a hybrid linebacker on early downs, then sliding into a pure edge role on passing situations. The flexibility would let defensive coordinator Shane Bowen cook up some wild looks, and finally give New York a defensive identity that feels like the old days — fast, aggressive, and relentless.
Carter wouldn’t just be a pick. He’d be a turning point.