One of them might surprise you
With Abdul Carter, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, joining Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux the New York Giants should have one of the best edge defender groups in the NFL during the upcoming season.
A recent ranking by Pro Football Focus of the top 32 edge defenders in the NFL reflects that. Burns checks in at No. 16 and, before having played a down in an NFL game, Carter is ranked No. 20.
Of Burns, PFF says:
Burns’ first season in New York was a success, as he posted a career-high 79.2 PFF grade, fueled by an 82.9 pass-rush grade and 61 total pressures — both the second-highest marks of his career.
Of Carter, PFF says:
Projecting rookie production is always tricky. However, Carter led the FBS in PFF pass-rush grade (92.4) and total pressures (66), and he also ranked in the top five in pass-rush win rate (22.6%). He has all the tools to make an immediate impact at the NFL level.
Carter has drawn comparisons to fellow Penn State alum Micah Parsons, who was elite as a rookie in 2021. Given his potential, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Carter crack the top 15 on this list next year.
Valentine’s View
Burns had the 12th-best pass rush grade among edge defenders, and his pass rush win percentage of 14.4 was 17th among 64 qualifiers. Burns’ 8.5 sacks don’t reflect how good his season actually was.
I am a little surprised to see Carter on the list already. I am not surprised that Kayvon Thibodeaux is not on the list. I wonder how Thibodeaux will take being looked at as the Giants’ third edge defender.
