Abdul Carter's uneven rookie campaign was the wake-up call (literally) that he needed. And to the talented young outside linebacker's credit, his strong finish suggests the message was received.
The low points of Carter's early NFL career have seemingly made a lasting impression on some — in the worst way, though. Folks haven't been able to unsee him sleeping through walk-throughs and being late to meetings, which were reportedly a "trend," including Wynston Wilcox of FanSided.
Wilcox identified Carter as one of 10 players who will "make or break their futures" in 2026, citing lingering questions surrounding maturity, or lack thereof. Frankly, that feels a bit drastic, considering what the Giants have invested in the former Penn State star.
Abdul Carter is being judged far sooner than Giants fans expected
There's no denying that Carter needs to continue learning how to be a professional on and off the field. He received a good amount of "negative attention" for his poor habits, as Wilcox stated, and deservedly so, albeit not to this degree.
Roughly 14 months ago, Carter was tabbed as a can't-miss prospect. He has an outstanding collegiate résumé and elite physical traits to boot. The promising young pass-rusher's strong profile merited being in the discussion for the first pick of his class despite being selected a couple spots later.
Suggesting Carter, who's given New York fans plenty of reasons for optimism moving forward, is at a crossroads is premature. The second-year pro doesn't turn 23 until and happened to show his age; it doesn't define him, and he'll be better for it. For what it's worth, Wilcox appeared to reach the same verdict.
"The Giants have three guys they can rotate in at EDGE, but with the team possibly shopping Kayvon Thibodeaux, I could see Carter having a big season ... and he'll show the athletic upside that got him drafted No. [3] overall in 2025," Wilcox wrote.
If Carter didn't show meaningful signs of growth down the stretch last season, then there would be valid cause for concern. His experiences ostensibly "humbled" him, just like Wilcox pointed out, culminating in a strong finish.
In the aggregate, Carter was actually quite productive in Year 1 with the G-Men. He recorded 43 tackles (seven for loss), 23 quarterback hits, four sacks and two forced fumbles across 17 games. His efforts yielded a 74.7 overall Pro Football Focus grade, good for 29th out of 115 qualified edge defenders
Carter also ranked fifth at his position in ESPN's pass rush win rate (21 percent). For context, he was tied with reigning and two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
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