The New York Giants are about to do something that’s become rare around East Rutherford in recent years—play the villain. And they might just do it with a draft pick that sends New England Patriots fans into a rage spiral.
With the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Giants have quietly made a full pivot toward the “best player available” strategy. The additions of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston mean there’s no longer pressure to force a quarterback. And that opens the door wide for Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter to become the newest weapon in blue.
Carter just grabbed eggs benedict with Brian Daboll at Penn State and visited the team for a Top 30, and he didn’t leave quietly. A social media post from inside the facility—featuring a shot of Lawrence Taylor’s tribute wall outside the outside linebackers room—dropped like a nuke. And it might’ve come with an unintended side effect: crushing New England’s draft hopes. Because guess who picks right after the Giants at No. 4? Mike Vrabel’s Patriots.
Abdul Carter to the Giants is giving... inevitable
The Giants aren’t hiding their interest in Carter—and neither is the NFL draft community. In his recent article discussing inevitable picks, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport said it flat-out:
“Yes, the Giants have already invested significant financial resources and a top-five pick on the edge in Burns and Thibodeaux. But as the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles have shown in recent years, there’s no such thing as too many quality edge-rushers.
And if Schoen decides to go with the best player available, that player is Carter.
It’s also a pick that would leave New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel apoplectic. But that’s a story for another day.”
Well, today is that day.
Carter’s the type of edge rusher who flips game plans. He’s twitchy. Explosive. Violent off the snap. He racked up 12 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss last season, earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors. There’s rawness to clean up, but the ceiling is outrageous.
A front seven featuring Carter, Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux? That’s a potential nightmare. But it might come at Thibodeaux’s expense. With Carter in the building, Schoen could entertain trade offers for the former No. 5 pick—especially if it nets them extra Day 2 capital.
Meanwhile, New England is sitting at No. 4 with Carter as their ideal defensive target. They'll be hosting him for a Top 30 visit and desperately need pass-rush help. If the G-Men go Carter at three, that’s a straight-up gut punch for the Patriots. Vrabel would need to pivot fast—maybe toward offense or a trade back—but Carter slipping through their fingers would sting.
The Giants typically play spoiler to the Patriots in February, but this year might be the exception. If the board falls with Cam Ward and Travis Hunter going 1-2, Abdul Carter would be right there for the taking. And if Schoen wants to make a splash, a pick like this does more than just elevate the Giants.
It wrecks the Patriots’ plans too. Win-win.