Former Penn State DE Abdul Carter has never shied away the brightest of lights or greatest of expectations. It should come as no surprise that the New York Giants took their No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and used it to select Carter.
Think about it. When he came to Penn State, Carter’s initial impressions got him the sacred No. 11 jersey that has been worn by many great linebackers before him.
LaVar Arrington, NaVarro Bowman, and Micah Parsons dominated at Penn State and each displayed dominance in the NFL.
I can recall the draft hype of Arrington, who was selected No. 2 overall by the Washington Commanders in 2000, the comparisons were numerous to former Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor. Carter recently posted on his social media accounts pictures of LT. If that wasn’t enough, Carter even went as far as to saying Taylor is the “greatest football player of all time.”
What I took note of with Carter’s historic 2024 season is it answered to me what 2020 could have been had Parsons played that season from the EDGE.
Penn State shifted Parsons to the EDGE in the Cotton Bowl against Memphis where Parsons had arguably the greatest defensive bowl performance in school history. Parsons defensive MVP performance ended with 14 tackles, two sacks, and two forced fumbles.
Since entering the NFL, Parsons is arguably at the top of his profession being a perennial All-Pro with the Dallas Cowboys. Parsons’ sheer ability to wreak havoc off the edge and disrupt a game is what Carter demonstrated all last season. This allows for two games a year of arguably the two best defenders of the James Franklin era at Penn State.
Carter may have started his career rough at Purdue with a targeting infraction that disqualified him. But his impact at linebacker and ability in space gave Franklin the idea to move him up to the line of scrimmage.
“We have the flexibility to play him at both positions,” Franklin said during 2024 Big Ten Media Days of the transition to move Carter to the EDGE. “He’s one of the unique athletes that was playing linebacker at 250 pounds. You never know how that transition is going to go, playing in space at the linebacker position compared to moving up to the line of scrimmage and having to go against the offensive tackles. He made the adjustment pretty quickly.”
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.While Carter started slow, once it clicked he went from potentially one of the best to being the best in the game. Carter led the nation with 24 tackles for losses, 12 sacks and according to Pro Football Focus, was second nationally with 66 pressures.
Carter now has to live up to, what is known in New York Giants annals, the “Ghosts of the Past.” Carter looks up to LT, now that will be the comparisons throughout Gotham, but at Penn State his belief never wavered of upholding the tradition of “Linebacker U.” While Carter always promoted wanting to be the No. 1 overall pick, the lights on Broadway in Nashville pale in comparison to that of New York.
Carter was destined to be that difference maker, and has a chance to have a similar arc with the Giants as Taylor did. Carter had similar paths that Taylor (defensive line) and Parsons (linebacker) ventured. Both started in different positions before moving to the EDGE and dominating their craft.
If Carter employs the same work ethic he did at Penn State, the Giants secured the next legend in their history and the lights won’t be bright enough even in New York.
