In the 2025 NFL draft, the New York Giants had two first-round picks. At third overall, they selected Abdul Carter out of Penn State. Additionally, New York traded back in the first round to select Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss. During his rookie campaign, Carter appeared in all 17 games and made six starts. Despite his underwhelming sack total in 2025, one NFL analyst has made a bold comparison for the Giants’ Abdul Carter.
On ESPN’s “The Mina Kimes Show,” senior writer and NFL analyst Mina Kimes said she rewatched Carter’s tape from his rookie season. She was blown away by the amount of pressure Carter generated. With his size, strength, and physical tools, Kimes compared Carter to two-time Super Bowl champion and future Hall of Famer Von Miller. Can Carter live up to those lofty expectations?
One NFL Analyst Made a Bold Comparison for Giants’ Abdul Carter
Kimes believes Carter is New York’s top pass rusher
As a whole, Carter’s rookie season with the Giants left a lot to be desired. The 22-year-old finished with four sacks in 17 games played. Carter was on the field for 76% of New York’s defensive plays. Leading the Giants in sacks last season was veteran edge rusher Brian Burns. He posted a career-high 16.5 sacks. One could argue that a few of Burns’ sacks in 2025 were caused by the pressure Carter provided the Giants.
Via her ESPN podcast, Kimes said she believes Carter is New York’s top pass rusher. Certainly a bold claim when Burns just finished 2025 with 16.5 sacks. However, Kimes mentioned how Carter is more impactful in the run game than Burns. On top of that, Giants’ Abdul Carter has several pass-rush moves. They were on full display throughout his rookie season. If Carter can lock in and reach his true potential, Kimes predicts he will have double-digit sacks for years to come.
Are comparisons to a future Hall of Famer too lofty for Carter?
With the second overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos selected Von Miller out of Texas A&M. The 37-year-old has played 14 professional seasons. He is a Defensive Rookie of the Year, eight-time Pro Bowler, three-time first-team All-Pro selection, and two-time Super Bowl champion. Additionally, he was named Super Bowl 50 MVP and is a member of the 2010s All-Decade team. Including the playoffs, Miller has 149 career sacks. That is the eighth-most all-time.
When re-watching his tape from the 2025 season, Kimes said Carter reminded her of Miller. The future Hall of Famer and Giants pass rusher are nearly identical in height and weight. Additionally, Miller and Carter share a similar play style. They offer a variety of pass rush moves and are extremely nimble around the edge. Going back and watching Carter’s rookie tape, Kimes specifically mentioned a play from Week 12 vs. the Detroit Lions.
Kimes referenced a play where Carter was lined up against the left tackle. She noted how agile Carter was and how low he was to the ground to win the rep. While he was unable to sack Jared Goff, his pressure forced Detroit’s quarterback to throw the ball away. Carter was incredibly disruptive as a pass-rusher, even if his numbers did not jump off the page.
During his rookie campaign, Giants’ Abdul Carter had 66 total pressures. That was the 11th most in the NFL. Carter also had an NFL-leading 48.5 quick pressures. According to NFL NextGen Stats, those are pressures that come in 2.5 seconds or less. That speaks to Carter’s freak athleticism. Kimes believes Carter has the tools and traits to be a top pass rusher in the NFL. Can the second-year pro put it all together in 2026 and have double-digit sacks?
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