New York Giants: Why Lorenzo Carter Will Break Out In 2019

The New York Giants’ defense is full of young talent. The Giants rebuilt their secondary through the 2019 NFL Draft and have created one of the best young defensive lines in the NFL.

New York also has a young player ready to rush the passer off the edge. The Giants drafted Lorenzo Carter in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft and he flashed his potential as a rookie. But it looks like Carter is ready to make a much bigger impact in 2019. Here is why:

Added Weight

Lorenzo Carter is an absolute physical specimen. At the 2018 NFL Combine, Carter turned heads with his 4.50s 40-yard dash time. His thirty-six in vertical jump was also impressive.

However, Carter’s best physical trait is his body. He stands in at 6-foot-5 and has some lanky 34-inch arms. A player with this combination of size and speed off the edge can be a real handful for opposing offensive tackles.

One hindrance on Carter’s physicality last year was his weight. It is difficult to fill out a 6-foot 5-inch frame. Carter weighed in at 250 pounds last season, which might sound like a lot, but this weight left Lorenzo’s massive frame a little thin.

Carter did not have the necessary weight and strength to be an every-down pass-rusher in 2018. This will change in 2019. Carter claims to have added around 10-12 pounds in muscle this offseason.

Lorenzo’s frame has now been filled out. This will be a huge difference-maker for him this season. Carter, now weighing in around 260-262 pounds, has the strength to push offensive lineman backward into the quarterback and apply more pressure.

An Expanded Role

Lorenzo Carter was a rotational pass-rusher in 2018. Carter played in fifteen games but only started in two of them. Lorenzo was held to playing only 40 percent of defensive snaps last season. This percentage will sky-rocket in 2019 as Lorenzo assumes a starting position.

In Carter’s small 2018 sample size, he flashed great potential. Lorenzo totaled 4 sacks 43 combined tackles in 2018. He also managed to record 10 quarterback hits, 7 tackles for loss, and 4 passes defended.

Lorenzo Carter is also an underrated coverage-man. Pro Football Focus affirms that Carter finished the 2018 season with a coverage grade over 80.0. He was one of two rookie edge defenders to reach this threshold.

Carter’s coverage skills and high IQ have been on display during training camp. Lorenzo has been tearing it up during the first few practices. His highlight play was this interception on the first day of camp:

https://twitter.com/Bleeding__Blue/status/1154486807528185857

Lorenzo Carter will see an increase in every statistic in 2019. This season will be Lorenzo’s breakout season as he has the opportunity to play stronger and as a full-season starter. Carter could rack up double-digit sacks in 2019 (though it’s clear that is not his main priority):