Last Saturday’s preseason outing for the New York Giants was a great moment for the organization. The team rolled out its two first-round selections for limited snaps and have to love what they saw.
Abdul Carter, the pass rusher out of Penn State, barely played. Yet, he made such a major impact in the few snaps he took. It was hard to go unnoticed.
Carter played in just six snaps against the Buffalo Bills. Three of those snaps were pass rushes. The result? He got past his opponent and rushed the passer every single time. It was a stat worth talking about, and the former great wide receiver, Chad Johnson, spoke on Carter’s Week 1 impact on the Night Cap Show recently.
Former NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco Johnson looks on prior to an NFL football game between the Carolina Panthers and the Las Vegas Raiders, at Allegiant Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Las Vegas,…
Former NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco Johnson looks on prior to an NFL football game between the Carolina Panthers and the Las Vegas Raiders, at Allegiant Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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“Listen, I saw those six plays too,” said Johnson. “Every move was completely different. Each one. Every move. He got a toolbox on him, boy. He got a toolbox on it, and then he pop out on film. Man, I knew he was nice, obviously. He wore the 11 for a reason. He has to wear that 56 for a reason. Very promising! Very, very promising based on what I saw. Again, this is only six snaps, but them six was nice. Inside, grip, hands.”
via @TheGiantTopic: Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson discussing #Giants LB Abdul Carter debut performance on the @NightcapShow_ “He’s got a toolbox on him and he pops out on film. He asked to wear #56 for a reason, he’s very promising.” The #Giants got themselves one, there’s no denying that 🔥
Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson discussing #Giants LB Abdul Carter debut performance on the @NightcapShow_
“He’s got a toolbox on him and he pops out on film. He asked to wear #56 for a reason, he’s very promising.”
The #Giants got themselves one, there’s no denying that 🔥 pic.twitter.com/m2j18f7XWT
— The Giant Topic (@TheGiantTopic) August 11, 2025
Carter went to Penn State for three seasons. He got his start as a freshman in 2022, starting in half of his games. Despite picking up just six starts, Carter still collected 56 tackles and 6.5 sacks.
By year two, Carter was a full-time starter in 13 games. His production saw a slight dip, as he registered just 48 tackles and 4.5 sacks throughout his sophomore season.
The 2024 season was a major success for Carter. With playoffs, he appeared in 16 total games. Carter produced 68 tackles and forced two fumbles. He also got to the quarterback for 12 sacks throughout the year.
Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, Carter was recognized as one of the top prospects in the entire draft pool. The Giants called on him and made Carter the team’s third-overall pick back in March. Since the start of the Giants’ offseason activities, Carter has received a ton of praise for being one of the most dominant players on the field. He lived up to the hype last Saturday against the Bills.
This week, the Giants are set to take on the New York Jets. Carter’s availability is currently unknown, but the defensive star certainly has all eyes on him moving forward.
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