Commanders rival Giants select top pass rusher in NFL Draft

With the third pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the New York Giants added the top pass rusher as they look to catch up to the Washington Commanders.

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The NFL Draft got started with a little excitement as the Jacksonville Jaguars jumped the Washington Commanders' NFC East Division rival New York Giants for the right to select Colorado Buffaloes receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter.

Most experts have assumed for a while now that if Hunter went second, then the Giants would add Penn State edge Abdul Carter as they look to flesh out a roster that will try to climb over the Commanders on their way to the top of the division.

With the third pick, New York did exactly that, and added Carter to the roster of pass rushers Washington will have to gameplan against starting in 2025.

Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In three seasons playing for the Nittany Lions, Carter amassed an impressive resume that included 23 sacks, and 172 tackles with 41 of those coming behind the line of scrimmage.

The selection of Carter now fuels the flames of speculation about the future of Kayvon Thibodeaux, and leaves the Giants needed a quarterback of the future.

That second piece of information places New York squarely in the category of teams that might be looking to move back into the end of the first round when the Commanders go on the clock for the first time at pick No. 29.

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READ MORE: Commanders predicted to take rising cornerback in latest mock draft

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