Giants’ new defensive weapon is already proving to be a pass-rushing force

The New York Giants selected Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft, adding another pass-rusher with elite upside to their defensive line.

Carter was widely considered to be the best defensive player in the draft class. His upside is immeasurable. The Penn State product has already begun flashing his pass-rushing prowess at the start of training camp.

Abdul Carter put together a few highlights during training camp practice on Day 2

During team drills on Thursday, Carter found himself in the backfield on several occasions. He got after the quarterback on one flashy highlight, bending around the edge to beat fellow rookie Marcus Mbow for a pressure (h/t Jordan Raanan of ESPN):

Later in the practice, Carter put together a nasty double-move on center John Michael Schmitz in a highlight rep that has since gone viral.

The Giants have been aligning Carter all over the field

The interesting aspect of Carter’s pass-rushing wins on Thursday came from his alignment. He won while aligned off the edge, while aligned as an off-ball linebacker, and while aligned as an interior defensive lineman.

Carter has been moving all over the Giants’ defensive front. Defensive coordinator has been creative in his deployment of the rookie, lending Carter’s athleticism to make him a versatile weapon from any part of the field.

In 2024, Carter totaled 12.0 sacks and a nation-leading 24.0 tackles for loss for the Penn State defense. He was a force at the collegiate level and is already flashing his potential to be an elite player in the NFL.