New York Giants Edge Abdul Carter: The Good, the Great, and the Ugly

Despite having two quality edge rushers that they have spent draft capital and money on, the New York Giants grabbed Abdul Carter with the third pick in the 2025 draft.

Some thought it was a need, a chance to take the pass rush to the next level. Others looked at it like “best player available.”

The word “generational” was uttered by quite a few draftniks leading up to and through the draft process.

While Carter did not fully live up to that generational tag, he flashed abilities that would get any fanbase excited about what the future holds for Carter with Big Blue.

Now with new leadership in place, the expectations will be higher, and the pressure for him to improve will be extremely high after what people considered a disappointing rookie campaign.

As we turn the page on the season that was and prepare for what is to come, let's take a look at the places where Carter excelled and where he struggled.

For this study, I decided to dissect his second game against Washington because it perfectly illustrated the highs and lows of his rookie season.

This is the good, the great, and the ugly of Abdul Carter's first year.

The Good: His Ability to Chase

The Good of #NYGiants Edge Abdul Carter during his rookie season was his ability to chase. pic.twitter.com/QZD12Bwyj2
— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) January 23, 2026

Abdul Carter has that thing that all ultra-athletic pass rushers have: the ability to chase down anything that is not coming towards them.

In college, he flashed this ability all the time, and in the NFL, it was no surprise that it was the first thing that followed him.

It does not matter if you're talking about the pass rush, chasing down ball carriers, or even dropping into coverage. Carter's acceleration allows him to run with receivers in coverage, get to the quarterback with relative ease, and chase down ball carriers from the backside.

If he's already moving by the time you change direction, there's a better-than-likely chance he's going to catch you. It's why he was so effective when the offensive play went away from him this season.

The Great: Agility to Get Around Blockers

The Great of #NYGiants Edge Abdul Carter is his ability to move around defenders. pic.twitter.com/wiGKO0pwCO
— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) January 23, 2026

The way Carter gets around blockers, especially in the pass rush, reminds you of great wide receivers who know how to get off the line of scrimmage against press-man coverage.

It is similar to guards in basketball who look like they have the ball on a string, which allows them to fake out really aggressive defenders and get to the basket at ease. It's such a joyful thing to watch him work.

In terms of Carter's pass rush, it all starts with his incredible burst off the line of scrimmage. It immediately puts an offensive lineman in a no-win situation.

They have to adjust their bodies so he doesn't run right around them, but in doing so, they compromise themselves for a countermove.

His ability to sink his hips low allows him to dip under lunging blockers and turn around the corner to attack the quarterback. The most fun thing to do is watch him set up when he is about to burst past a blocker.

He might fake to the left, fake to the right, and then burst back to the left, around a blocker.

He might fake to the right, slap the hands away of a blocker, and then burst past them. It almost looks as if he's toying with offensive linemen when he does that move.

The Ugly: Ability to Hold at the Point of Attack

The Ugly of #NYGiants Edge Abdul Carter in his rookie season was how easily he gets controlled in the run game. pic.twitter.com/AafVsNmCdq
— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) January 23, 2026

The one area in which Carter struggled mightily was when he had to hold up at the point of attack.

The first problem was how he chose to protect his gap. As an edge, he is charged with protecting the C-gap.

He often used his forearm to hold off the blocker, but in doing so, he made it easier for the blocker to widen the gap to his inside. That gives the rusher more room to work with.

The other area is not being able to anchor down against a base block or even a down block from a tight end or H-back. Carter often was run over, knocked back, or simply run back off his spot.

He needs to improve his strength to fight force with force and avoid losing ground.

Once the runner tries to bounce outside, that plays into the hands of Carter, who can chase down anyone.

Coach's Corner

Dec 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter (51) reacts after a tackle against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The weight room should become Carter's best friend this offseason. He needs to develop greater functional strength to hold up at the point of attack.

He was at an obvious disadvantage all season whenever he had to deal with point-of-attack blocking. The opportunity to get stronger and possibly even more explosive while he does it should be a welcome thing for Carter.

The mountain of pressures that he provided this season just points to his ability to be a disruptive force in the pass rush.

So if he wants to be an all-around defender, he has to get better at dealing with the run game when they're willing to run directly at him.

His goal should not be to become the next Micah Parsons. His goal should be to become better than he is.

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