By Adeniyi Precious 
Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter made an appearance at his Pro Day on Friday, and while he didn’t participate in workouts, he did get measured and dropped some interesting tidbits for fans as the 2025 NFL Draft nears.
Carter, one of the top prospects in this year’s draft, has scheduled visits with just four teams: the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, and New England Patriots. Since all four teams hold top-four picks, there’s a real chance he could land with any of them.
That said, the Giants seem the least likely of the bunch to draft Carter. In one scenario, quarterbacks Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders go 1-2, leaving the Giants to choose between Carter and Colorado’s Travis Hunter, a versatile two-way star. In another scenario, Ward and Hunter are both gone, and the Giants would have to decide whether to take Carter or finally draft their much-needed franchise quarterback.
If New York does end up picking Carter, though, it could shake things up for current edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. Trade rumors surrounding Thibodeaux have been swirling, and Last Word on Sports even floated the idea of sending him to the Carolina Panthers.
“The Panthers are finally focusing on defense after making strides on offense with Bryce Young,” wrote Anthony Palacios. “They signed Tershawn Wharton to beef up their defensive line, and there were even rumors that Jadeveon Clowney could be traded. If that happens, Thibodeaux might be a solid replacement.”
Carolina has been on the lookout for an edge rusher all offseason. Some mock drafts have even predicted they’ll trade up to snag Carter at No. 3, which could give the Giants extra draft capital to go after a quarterback next year.
Of course, New York doesn’t have to trade Thibodeaux at all. They could keep him, exercise his fifth-year option, and pair him with Carter and Brian Burns to form a powerhouse pass rush. At the end of the day, good players are hard to come by, and if Carter is at the top of their board, the Giants might just be better off stacking talent rather than shipping it out.