After the hype Abdul Carter had entering his first season with the New York Giants, it's hard not to feel disappointed by his four total sacks. He was expected to be a dominant pass rusher, but his mediocre counting stats fell short of what fans hoped to see.
There's no reason to panic, though. While it might not have shown up in the box score, Carter's dominance as a pass rusher should have fans giddy about what he can do in his second season.
If his performance as a rookie is any indication, Carter is going to have a long, productive career in the NFL.
Giants' Abdul Carter could quickly become one of the NFL's top pass rushers
At this point, you've probably heard about Carter's underlying stats. While he only had four sacks as a rookie, his 66 pressures ranked 16th in the NFL. In fact, he had 13 more pressures than Brian Burns, who led the NFC in sacks with 16.5.
Carter's quick pressures reveal an even more encouraging outlook. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, he led the league in quick pressures with 48 last season. Quick pressures are defined as pressures generated in under 2.5 seconds.
But Carter's impact goes beyond advanced stats. When looking back at the Giants' games in 2025, it becomes clear that the young edge rusher was a force that offensive linemen couldn't handle. His burst off the line of scrimmage is almost unmatched in the NFL, with Denver Broncos star Nik Bonitto being the best comparison.
However, Carter is bigger than Bonitto and may already have developed more pass-rushing moves. The Broncos defender has produced 27.5 sacks over the last two seasons. If Carter can deliver on more of his opportunities in the backfield, what's holding him back from reaching similar numbers?
The young Giants defender is already receiving high praise from NFL analysts.
Mina Kimes recently compared Carter to Von Miller on The Mina Kimes Show and said that she thinks he's already a better pass rusher than Burns.
A breakout season from Carter in 2026 feels almost inevitable at this point. While he still has plenty of growing to do as a run defender, he has a chance to be one of the best pass rushers of the decade. It's easy to see him not just reaching double-digit sacks, but challenging for leading the league in sacks like Burns did last season.
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