The early, and sometimes ridiculous when we look back at them in a year or two, NFL draft grades from Round 1 of the 2025 draft are in. The New York Giants’ selection of edge defender Abdul Carter at No. 3 is drawing universal praise. The trade up to select quarterback Jaxson Dart is getting a mixed reaction.
In our Big Blue View poll, 86% of 1,381 voters gave the selection of Carter an ‘A.’ From the comments after the pick was announced:
Poll
What grade would you give the Giants’ selection of Abdul Carter No. 3 overall?
This poll is closed
-
86%
A
(1193 votes)
-
4%
B
(58 votes)
-
4%
C
(56 votes)
-
3%
D
(42 votes)
-
2%
F
(32 votes)
1381 votes total
Vote Now
BBV voters seem to be fine with the Dart selection, but not overwhelmingly in love with it. Of 1,977 voters, 43% (842) gave the pick an ‘A.’ Nine percent of voters scored the pick a ‘D’ or ‘F.’
From the comments:
Poll
What grade would you give the Giants’ move up to select QB Jaxson Dart?
This poll is closed
-
42%
A
(842 votes)
-
37%
B
(732 votes)
-
11%
C
(231 votes)
-
3%
D
(79 votes)
-
4%
F
(93 votes)
1977 votes total
Vote Now
What others are saying
No. 3 — Abdul Carter, edge, Penn State
Grade: A+
Ian Cummings says:
It was essentially chalk for weeks leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft that the New York Giants were the favorites to land Abdul Carter, Now they’ve made that official, selecting one of two bona fide blue-chip talents in the class with the third overall pick.
The 2024 season was just Carter’s first year as a full-time edge, and he amassed 12 sacks and 24 tackles for loss, earning All-American honors in the process. At his 6’3”, 250-pound size, he has perhaps the most dynamic explosiveness of any edge prospect of the last five cycles – at least – and his combined burst, bend, hand strength, pursuit speed, and motor can overwhelm.
In the short-term, the Giants have an abundance of edge talent with Carter, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux, but Thibodeaux’s long-term future is murky, emphasizing Carter’s value. Carter can be a game-wrecker off the line, and his off-ball background grants him additional versatility.
Round 1 (No. 25 .. via Houston Texans) — Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
Grade: C
Ian Cummings says:
We knew someone was going to trade back into the first round for a quarterback, the only question was who and when. In the end, it was the New York Giants who made the first move, trading with the Texans to acquire the 25th overall pick, where they then selected Jaxson Dart.
The move to add Dart has an undertone of desperation; Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen need results to save their jobs, and drafting a young QB can be a way to extend one’s window of opportunity. Dart is in an ideal situation where he has a WR1 in Malik Nabers and doesn’t have to start right away with Russell Wilson in-house – but he has work to do in order to reach his ceiling.
There are redeeming qualities with Dart. He’s athletic, competitive, and flashes legitimate middle-of-field anticipation, and his arm is supremely loose and elastic. But the Ole Miss offense didn’t insulate many NFL-translatable processing skills, and he’ll need to become a more consistent progression thrower. Dart has some time to sit and learn as it stands, but there will undoubtedly be pressure at some point in New York. He has to be ready when it comes.
Carter
Grade: A
The Giants could have panicked and drafted for need, but they did the right thing by taking the best player on the board. Carter was a relentless edge rusher at Penn State, and he’ll fit in with Brian Burns in the Giants’ 3-4 defense. He also should push Kayvon Thibodeaux for snaps — and perhaps for a starting role.
Dart
Grade: A
The Giants did their homework on every available quarterback and picked up the one they wanted, at just the right price. Instead of reaching early, the Giants selected the best player available at No. 3, then traded back into the first round to grab Dart. With veterans Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson in the building, New York has a buffer to ensure that Dart won’t get overwhelmed on day one.
It’s too early to predict success, but the process was perfect — and the compensation (Nos. 34 and 99 plus a 2026 third-round pick) was not too steep.
Grade: A
Carter is a versatile, explosive defender who’s able to come off the edge and make plays in space when off the ball. Tackles have a tough time staying with his speed and bend as a pass rusher, and he flashes the power to win with a long-arm or bull rush move. He’ll more than complement Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns off the edge.
Dart possesses the arm, mobility and work ethic to be a future starter; that said, he should also have a chance to compete with Russell Wilson for the team’s QB1 job this year. Dart adds value as a runner, which will make him a challenge for defenses that deploy a lot of man coverage.
Carter
Grade: A
Along with Hunter, many evaluators in the league believe Carter is the best prospect in the draft. He was a menace for the Nittany Lions, totaling a nation-high 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks while earning first-team All-American status. At 6’ 3” and 250 pounds, Carter has the size, speed and pass-rush tools to be a Day 1 star.
Dart
Grade: B-
There may be no more polarizing prospect in this class than Dart. The 21-year-old Utah native led the SEC in 2024 with a 69.3% completion rate and 4,279 passing yards to accompany 29 touchdowns against six interceptions. At 6’2” and 223 pounds, Dart has solid size but there are questions abound about his process and footwork.
Carter
Grade: A
They had to pass on quarterback to take the best pass rusher in the draft. When the Giants won Super Bowls, they rushed the passer. Carter adds to talent up front. They can wait on the quarterback.
Dart
Grade: C-
I know the Giants needed a quarterback, but I don’t love this move. Coach Brian Daboll was said to be the one pushing for Dart. Well, he got his guy. I just think I would have waited until later to get a quarterback, but desperation makes teams do crazy things when it comes to the quarterback position.
Carter
Grade: A
Big Blue’s pick seemed to be trending this way for some time, but it still feels a bit strange to see the team exhibit some restraint around quarterback considerations given the desperation that has colored the rest of the offseason plans for the position. In terms of maximizing pure value, there was no real alternative to Carter at this slot.
Dart
Grade: C+
With the Giants sitting behind the Browns in the second round, a deal up into the first for a quarterback seemed inevitable. But it’s difficult to have much confidence that Dart definitively can be the kind of passer who will save Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen’s jobs after the current regime was put on notice by co-owner John Mara after last season. A talented intermediate passer who can confidently attack defenses when in rhythm, he at least offers a path forward if Russell Wilson falters. But given rampant concerns about how he will hold up against pressure and manage getting beyond his first read, things could get dicey if he’s forced into an unfavorable spot as a rookie.
Carter
Grade: B+
This pick gives the Giants one of the fiercest pass rushes in the league and puts Abdul Carter with star defensive linemen Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns. If the Giants’ cornerback play can improve this year, this could be one of the most improved defenses in the league. The presence of Lawrence, Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux will give Carter some great matchups to wreak havoc as a rookie. Perhaps the Giants could’ve gone offensive line here, but Carter’s upside as a pass rusher, in that front seven, is hard to turn down.
Dart
Grade: D
The Giants needed a quarterback and traded up for Jaxson Dart. This is a pretty big risk for the Giants and their upcoming prospects for the 2025 season, but they needed to fill a spot in their quarterback room. Dart has a long way to go before he’s ready for big-time NFL action, and Brian Daboll might not even be able to see that development through.
