Giants rising star pumped over pass rush potential with former FSU star

Giants add top draft pick Abdul Carter to a loaded front featuring Kayvon Thibodeaux and a Pro Bowler with Seminole roots.

Dec 25, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

There were a couple of significant roster moves this past offseason as they hit the free agency market hard, adding former Florida State star Jameis Winston and veteran signal caller Russell Wilson to the mix while also signing Jaxson Dart in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

The hope is that the three can help turn around a 3-14 team that sat at the bottom of the NFC East last season, but signing the trio under center wasn't the only trick Giants head coach Brian Daboll had up his sleeve.

They also drafted All-American defensive end Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick to bolster what was already a dominant defensive end group backed by former Florida State star Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, who both had five-plus sacks and over 40 quarterback pressures last year.

READ MORE: Former FSU QB drops 4-word message after first Giants workout

Thibodeaux, a former first-rounder himself, is excited about the addition and what the three can do up front as they try to revamp a defense that ranked 21st in the country in 2024.

"I think [Carter's] a great player. We can use him in a lot of different ways," Thibodeaux said Tuesday night at the Gridiron Gala via ESPN's Jordan Raanan. "I'm excited to see him come in and grind and [see] what we're going to get."

Burns recorded 8.5 sacks and 66 quarterback pressures last season, while Thibodeaux tallied 5.5 sacks and 42 pressures over 12 games. Now, the duo is joined by Carter, widely regarded as the top edge rusher in this year’s draft.

"I think that is the outside linebacker position," Thibodeaux continued. "We're those tweeners. If you look at my skill set, Brian's skill set -- Brian can rush inside. I can, but Brian is probably better rushing inside than I am. But Brian can rush inside. I can rush inside. He can rush from depth. I can rush from depth being at that linebacker position. So can Abdul."

Burns is a two-time Pro Bowler who landed with the Giants in 2024 after being selected by the Carolina Panthers in 2019 with the No. 16 pick overall out of Florida State. He has a career 54.5 sacks, 317 tackles, and 10 forced fumbles over 97 games.

Paired with Carter, Thibodeaux, and former Clemson standout defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, Burns and the defensive front could be exactly what the Big Blue needs as they aim for the next rung on the ladder heading into 2025.

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