Quarterback Drew Lock comically lost the New York Giants the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft in Week 17 with a stellar performance. Still, finding a franchise QB should be the Giants’ top priority. That may not be an option, at least via the draft, considering New York’s front office holds the No. 3 pick.
The odds of the Tennessee Titans not selecting a quarterback are slim to none, with rumblings about their preference for Miami Hurricanes’ Cam Ward. The Giants would surely love to land Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, who repped cleats themed after the team, with their pick, but the Cleveland Browns stand in their way.
Let’s assume the Browns plan for their future by taking a QB at No. 2. What direction should the Giants go?
Giants Predicted To Draft Abdul Carter
The Giants missed on two top-10 picks just a few years ago. In the 2022 NFL Draft, New York landed edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux (No. 5) and offensive lineman Evan Neal (No. 7). While Thibodeaux hasn’t disappointed as much as Neal, it could be time for the Giants to take another swing on a superstar defender.
In his latest mock draft, PFN’s Alan Goldsher predicted the Giants to add Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter in the draft.
Goldsher compared Carter to Dallas Cowboys superstar Micah Parsons, giving the following rationale for the choice:
“EDGE isn’t a top need for the New York Giants, but the roster needs help across the board, and Abdul Carter — who plays with a palpable chip that will suit him well in New York — is just too good to pass up. In a year when the top-picking teams weren’t so quarterback-starved, Carter would be under consideration for the top pick,” Goldsher wrote.
If Ward and Sanders are off the board, Carter seems like the safe choice. The other option is to swing for the fences on two-way star and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. At the very least, Hunter would bring the media attention to a market like New York desires.
The Giants Are Not Carter’s Dream Organization
If Carter had it his way, he would land with a different NFC East team.
Known for his blend of power and speed, the 6’3″, 250-pound pass rusher has been turning heads since his high school days in Philadelphia. Now, after a standout collegiate career at Penn State, Carter is ready to take his talents to the pros.
While he has worked extremely hard to become a top-five draft pick, Carter’s dream scenario is to get picked toward the end of the first round. That’s because there’s a specific NFL team that holds a special place in his heart.
“Playing for the Eagles would definitely be a dream of mine,” Carter revealed back in July.
This isn’t a huge surprise, as Carter was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. He attended La Salle College High School and then committed to Penn State over other top programs.
The Eagles will have a bottom-eight pick in the first round after advancing to the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs, so the odds of Carter joining his childhood favorite team are slim to none since he’s projected to be a top-five pick. He acknowledges this.
“I’m striving to be the No. 1 overall pick, and unless they trade Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown [or other picks], they not going to have that type of pick, so…” Carter said.