Abdul Carter, EDGE, New York Giants

OK, so this is another call from the files of Captain Obvious. But while Miami quarterback Cam Ward was the first overall pick in the 2025 draft, the top two prospects overall were Hunter and Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter.

After Ward and Hunter came off the board, it was Carter’s turn—he was drafted third overall by the New York Giants. After the pick was made, Giants general manager Joe Schoen told reporters that the hope is that Carter will have the same sort of first-year impact in 2025 that Malik Nabers had a year ago.

"We were talking on the way down just in terms of adding dogs and a certain type of mentality," Schoen said. "I would say two years in a row with Malik's (Nabers) competitiveness and the toughness that he plays with, and then you add another guy like that in the first round like Abdul Carter and the motor he plays with and the toughness and the violence, that can really help. And the identity question was mentioned. That can help develop an identity, those type of players, and the more of those guys that you can acquire, the more that can come to life."

Carter joins a crowded group of edge-rushers that includes a former top-five pick in Kayvon Thibodeaux and a two-time Pro Bowler in Brian Burns.

But a team can never have too many edge-rushers—a rotation may cost Carter snaps, but it will also keep him fresh. The 6’3” 250-pounder tallied 12 sacks and a whopping 24 tackles for loss last year at Penn State. And the Giants didn’t draft Carter third overall so he could be a spectator.