The New York Giants learned very quickly in training camp ahead of the 2024 NFL season that they hit a home run when they selected LSU WR Malik Nabers at No. 6 overall.
Fast forward to the first week of training camp entering the 2025 NFL season and the Giants have once again hit a home run in the NFL Draft with reports painting a dominant picture for rookie EDGE Abdul Carter.
Abdul Carter Described as a ‘Terror’ in Training Camp
Matt Sidney of Fansided posted nothing short of glowing praise for rookie EDGE Abdul Carter through his first week of training camp, which suggests he could make an instant impact for the Giants’ defense in 2025.
Sidney wrote, “The pads donât go on until Monday, but Carter hasnât needed them to stand out. Heâs already put John Michael Schmitz on skates, ruined a rookie rep for Marcus Mbow, and nearly ended a play before it started just by knifing through a B-gap walkthrough. He has been an absolute terror.”
Carter drew rave reviews during OTAs earlier this summer, which certainly suggests he has been as good as advertised after countless NFL Draft pundits considered him the best player in the entire 2025 NFL Draft.
Sidney added, “The staffâs not easing him in; theyâre letting the kid cook. Heâs lined up inside, outside, standing, shaded, over the center, off the edge, wherever they put him, he moves like itâs second nature. This isnât a trial run. Theyâre letting him go wreck plays and sorting out the details later.”
The versatility of Carter has felt a bit underdiscussed when you take into consideration that he spent an abundance of time playing as an off-ball linebacker during his early days at Penn State.
Since the Giants’ defense already features big names like Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux, Carter’s alignment versatility could act as the queen piece of this New York defense to be moved all over the formation to exploit weaknesses in their opponents’ offensive line in 2025.
“Heâs exploding off the ball, bending around tackles, flashing inside-out counters, and already wrecking the timing of the offense. And weâre talking about a defense thatâs not exactly short on pass rushers either. This is a room with Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Chauncey Golston in it. Carter doesnât care,” said Sidney when touching on the depth of this defensive line. “Carter hasnât needed to press or overextend. Heâs come into camp fully engaged, playing fast, trusting his instincts, and doing the exact things that got him here in the first place.”
Could Abdul Carter Produce a Historic Rookie Season in 2025?
According to numerous sportsbooks, Carter is listed at +250 to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year (DPOY) award. Yet, if Carter truly is already dominating at camp… then perhaps he could be an intriguing thought as a potential Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Carter is currently listed at +10000 to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. These odds are so high because only one rookie defender in the Super Bowl era has ever won the DPOY award, which was New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor back in 1981.
Regardless of what awards Carter may or may not win at the end of this season, it appears he is going to make a big impact as a rookie in 2025.
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