Let’s rewind the chaos for a second. The New York Giants walked into the 2025 NFL Draft with the third overall pick, a roster that needed juice, and a fanbase begging for a franchise-changing move. Quarterback? Tempting. Travis Hunter? Even more tempting.
But when the Jacksonville Jaguars leapfrogged Cleveland to grab Hunter at No. 2, it cleared the board. No more two-way unicorn. No dramatic Shedeur Sanders swerve. No overthinking things. Just a clean shot at the best defender in the draft. That defender? Penn State’s Abdul Carter, who the G-Men selected with the third overall pick.
And now, just days after the dust settled in Green Bay, one of the most trusted voices in scouting is calling Carter the surest bet in the entire class. Giants fans... we might’ve got the guy.
ESPN's Matt Miller guarantees Abdul Carter will be a star
There’s no way to sugarcoat it, the hype around Carter is loud. And deserved. ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller didn’t dance around it when asked for his “guaranteed future NFL star” from the 2025 class:
“Maybe I’m cheating by choosing the top player on my board, but I love his fit in New York thanks to his explosive ability and versatility. With defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II and edge Brian Burns also on this defensive line, Carter won’t have to deal with many double teams out of the gate.”
Miller’s point is simple but important: Carter isn’t walking into a situation where he has to be the guy from Day 1. That matters. Playing next to stars like Lawrence and Burns gives him a chance to grow into his role while still being disruptive. The fit is clean, the expectations are realistic, and the upside is massive.
With Hunter off the board and no quarterback worth forcing at No. 3, Joe Schoen did something this franchise hasn’t always had the patience to do. He stuck to the board, stayed disciplined, and took the best player available: a blue-chip pass rusher with legit superstar potential.
Hunter might be the flashier name. But while everyone obsesses over his two-way magic in Jacksonville, Carter is quietly stepping into a loaded Giants front where he doesn’t have to be Superman right away. He just has to wreak havoc—something he did plenty of at Penn State with 12 sacks and a nation-leading 24 tackles for loss... just last season.
Carter has Micah Parsons twitch, a Lawrence Taylor number (well, not really—LT made sure of that), and the kind of violent athleticism that turns good defenses into great ones. And with Burns, Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux soaking up attention, Carter’s going to eat early and often.
Every single evaluator—from Mel Kiper to Bucky Brooks to the guys at Pro Football Focus—gave the pick its flowers. Some even said he’s the most pro-ready defender in the draft.
Travis Hunter might be a unicorn. But Abdul Carter? He could be the NFL's next biggest star. And if his rookie year goes anything like Malik Nabers’, the Giants might be building something real on both sides of the ball. Things are looking all the way up in East Rutherford.