Taking a quarterback is the common consensus for what the New York Giants should do in the 2025 NFL draft, but the team could instead borrow a page from the book of NFC East rivals the Philadelphia Eagles and select “premier” edge-rusher Abdul Carter with the third-overall pick.
Doing so would copy the Eagles’ blueprint for beating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. That’s according to the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy, who believes “anyone who watched the reveal of Patrick Mahomes’ kryptonite as a stacked pass rush should simultaneously have pushed Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter up their mock draft.”
Dunleavy admitted “overreaction to the Super Bowl is a real thing inside the NFL, but it might just be wise after the Eagles’ 40-22 win against the Chiefs to go from seeing Carter as a top four prospect in the 2025 class to the favorite at No. 1.”
Taking Carter would fly in the face of convention for perhaps the most quarterback-needy team in the league. Particularly since both of the top passers in this class, Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado star Shedeur Sanders, should be in range of the Giants, either with the third pick or via trade.
Yet, Dunleavy conceded, “Quarterbacks Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders aren’t can’t-miss prospects. Receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter is a scouting unicorn but — even if he plays on both sides of the ball (no guarantee) — will he make the same impact that a premier pass rusher would?”
Opting for Carter would represent a surer thing. It would also help the Giants replicate not only what won the Eagles a title this season, but also what propelled Big Blue to victory in two Super Bowls.
Abdul Carter a Strength on Strength Pick for Giants
Using first-round capital to draft Carter wouldn’t answer a need. Not when the Giants already have capable bookend edge-rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux in the starting lineup.
Adding a roving pressure specialist like Carter to this group would be doubling down on a team strength. Especially when “Carter had the 2nd highest % of Pass Rush snaps with a Pressure in the FBS (19.4%),” per The 33rd Team.
The 21-year-old posted 12 sacks, QB takedowns owing a lot to moves like this “ghost rip” against Notre Dame, highlighted by Aaron Day of DLineVids.
Putting a pass-rusher with this level of natural bend and violent hands technique into the mix would recreate a previously successful Giants formula. The team won Super Bowls 42 and 46 with a deep and flexible rotation of destructive pass-rushers, featuring Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Mathias Kiwanuka and Hall of Famer Michael Strahan.
Different versions of this group stymied Tom Brady and the New England Patriots twice on the big stage. The Eagles showed the strategy still works in 2025 by swarming on Mahomes.
Eagles Reminded Giants About Winning Formula
Building a dominant defensive line then letting it feast without the aid of blitzing won the Eagles a Super Bowl. It happened thanks to draft picks like defensive ends Brandon Graham, Nolan Smith and Josh Sweat, as well as defensive tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, along with stellar deputy Milton Williams.
This group got to Mahomes for six sacks and “generated 16 pressures,” even though “the Eagles did not blitz once across 42 dropbacks in Super Bowl LIX, just the 4th defense to not blitz in a game in the NGS era,” according to Next Gen Stats.
The Giants could recreate something similar if Carter joined Thibodeaux, Burns and All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II. It’s the brand of defense coordinator Shane Bowen wants to call, but he needs more talented personnel and greater depth up front to make it work.
Giving Bowen Carter would be a huge boost and leave the Giants to pursue a quarterback in free agency, where more than one Super Bowl-winning veteran resides.
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