Giants Banking on Abdul Carter to Be the Next Defensive Star—Could He Be the Next LT?
With the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the New York Giants made a bold move by selecting Abdul Carter, hoping the explosive edge rusher could become their most dominant pass rusher since Lawrence Taylor. That’s a massive standard to live up to—but one former NFL sack king believes Carter is up for the challenge right away.
Shawne Merriman, who led the league with 17 sacks in 2006 and won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2005, knows what greatness looks like. And on Good Morning Football, he didn’t hold back on his prediction:
“I believe Abdul Carter is going to be the Defensive Rookie of the Year… He’s that explosive. You can throw him on the field now and he’s going to make plays. I just love his mentality.”
If Merriman’s right, Carter could break a 44-year drought for the Giants. As noted by Giants.com’s Matt Citak, only one New York player has ever won AP Defensive Rookie of the Year—none other than Lawrence Taylor in 1981, who also claimed NFL Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-Pro nod that same season after racking up 9.5 sacks.
Carter has already been connected to Taylor for less flattering reasons—like a short-lived jersey number controversy—but this is a comparison the Giants would love to see play out on the field.
Carter Has the Skillset to Make History
At 6’3″ and 259 pounds, Carter blends rare size, speed, and versatility. He flashed his potential during rookie minicamp, turning heads with his physical dominance, according to New York Post’s Brandon London.
Abdul Carter
While the Giants plan to unleash him off the edge, Carter’s real value might come from his ability to wreak havoc all over the field—including on interior blitzes from a linebacker spot. That type of hybrid disruption has already drawn comparisons to Cowboys All-Pro Micah Parsons, according to Doug Farrar of Athlon Sports.
Parsons is a strong benchmark, but the Giants—and Carter himself—may be aiming even higher: chasing the legacy of one of the greatest defenders the NFL has ever seen. Whether Carter can follow in LT’s footsteps remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: he has the tools, the mindset, and now, the spotlight.