“I ain’t no rookie. Been playing this game a long time. Ball is ball. I love this,” Abdul Carter recently said on Instagram—and he’s backing every word. Picked 3rd overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Penn State star came in with edge and energy. After posting 12 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss in his final college season, he’s already turning heads in New York. But in the NFL, talent alone isn’t enough, and Carter seems to understand that already.
The way Carter’s been picking things up this offseason hasn’t gone unnoticed. On the New York Giants’ YouTube channel, linebacker Briar Burn said, “He’s picking up the playbook pretty well. I can really see his IQ shine a little bit,” Burn continued, clearly struck by how fast the rookie is adapting. “He asks me questions, he ask the coach questions. He kind of challenges either one of us as far as like whatever the scheme is.” That curiosity isn’t just noise—it’s fuel. “He kind of challenges you to explain it, and he picks up on it quick.” Briar added. For someone so young, Carter is already showing the signs of a player who doesn’t just want to play but to master the game. “Like a lot of like me coming in as a rookie and having to deal with the stuff that’s on his plate would have been difficult,” Burn admitted. “And he’s—he’s handling it well.”
So when Briar Burn was asked if Carter is living up to his draft status, he didn’t hesitate. His three-word response, “Boy got game,” wasn’t mere praise; it served as an ultimatum, carrying the weight of a challenge and warning. “The boy got game. The boy got skills, man. He got skills,” Briar continued. The repetition wasn’t filler—it was a message: Carter’s talent is real, but talent isn’t the whole battle. And Briar made that clear while talking about his career. “We were similar coming out as far as like our speed… and uh I wish I would have took heed to that power a lot earlier in my career,” he said. It wasn’t just a moment of reflection. It was a direct warning—don’t make the same mistake. “So I’m definitely going to try to instill that and tell him about it,” Briar added, showing he’s already stepped into the mentor role for the rookie.
He sees his younger self in Carter. Both came in with elite speed and raw athleticism. Their builds were nearly identical—Burns measured 6’5″, 249 pounds as a rookie. Carter is 6’4″, 250 pounds. Burns ran a 4.53 at the 2019 Combine, and the Panthers drafted him 16th overall. He had 7.5 sacks and 16 QB hits in 2019, which are impressive numbers for someone still learning the position. But that was mostly speed. He didn’t fully tap into his power game until 2022, when he posted 12.5 sacks, 63 total tackles, and made his second Pro Bowl. That gap—that delay—is what he’s talking about. He knows Carter has the skills and also the price of leaning too long on speed.
Inside the Giants’ building, Carter’s already turning heads. Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen summed it up best: “I think he lives for football. You can see how he lights up when you start talking football with him. It’s his attitude, the way he carries himself. There’s a competitive edge that we’ve seen come through even in the few practices we’ve had.” That kind of energy sticks. He’s not just fitting in—he’s raising the standard. And if this is just the start, the Giants may have landed a real difference-maker who is getting compared with major NFL stars.
Abdul Carter enters the league with talent and hype
Sure, Carter didn’t go first or second, but some believe he’s the most talented player in the entire draft. The Titans grabbed Cam Ward. The Jaguars picked Travis Hunter. Both are high-profile names, but Carter might have something more. And when that kind of raw talent falls to No. 3, it turns heads. It also raises expectations. If Carter lives up to the buzz, the Giants may have landed the most valuable pick of the class.
NFL analyst Bucky Brooks didn’t hold back when comparing Carter to Micah Parsons. He called Carter an “All-American sack artist… an explosive edge rusher with rare speed, power, and athleticism. Carter breezes past blockers, utilizing various finesse maneuvers to win from the edges.” It’s not just hype—it’s a high-level comparison to one of the most disruptive defenders in the league. And if Carter lives up to it, the Giants may have landed a player who can completely reshape their defense.
The similarities are hard to ignore. Both played at Penn State. Both wore number 11. Parsons moved around and dominated—earning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2021, two First-Team All-Pro selections, and racking up over 40 sacks in his first three seasons. Now, Carter gets that same chance, and it’s on him to turn the comparisons into his legacy.
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