The New York Giants had the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft sitting on a silver platter, needing only a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders to secure the top spot.
Instead, the locker room decided to play spoiler to the fan base’s tanking dreams, throttling Las Vegas 34–10 in an offensive masterclass that likely pushed Big Blue down to the second pick. While losing out on the top selection stings for the draft-obsessed, what we witnessed on the field was arguably more valuable than lottery positioning: the undeniable arrival of Abdul Carter as a premier NFL game-wrecker.
The New York Giants Finally Have a Bona Fide Game-Wrecker in Carter
Rookie pass rusher Abdul Carter didn’t just play well; he completely hijacked the Raiders’ game plan, racking up nine pressures for the second consecutive week. His stat line read like a defensive coordinator’s fantasy—three tackles, one sack, two tackles for a loss, and four quarterback hits—but the disruption went far beyond the box score.
Carter has now tallied 18 pressures in his last two games alone, obliterating opposing tackles with a blend of speed and violence that was conspicuously absent during the first half of the season.
From Disciplinary Headache to the Giants’ Defensive Savior
This late-season surge is a massive sigh of relief for a front office that spent months answering questions about Carter’s maturity.
Early in the year, the headlines were dominated by reports of him skipping meetings, showing up late, and being benched for disciplinary reasons. It was fair to wonder if the Giants had drafted another immense talent with a ten-cent head, but Carter has seemingly taken those hard lessons to heart, playing with the motor of a professional who understands availability is as important as ability.
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A Pass-Rushing Duo That Can Terrorize the NFC East
His resurgence has unlocked a terrifying dynamic alongside Brian Burns, who has quietly assembled a monster campaign with 16.5 sacks.
A significant chunk of Burns’ production is a direct result of Carter flushing quarterbacks out of the pocket, creating a “pick your poison” scenario for offensive lines. If Carter continues this trajectory, the Giants possess a pass-rushing duo capable of wrecking game plans for the next five years, rendering the angst over dropping one spot in the draft largely irrelevant.
Chasing History in a Lost Giants Season
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Carter’s breakout is the historic company he is currently keeping.
According to ESPN, Carter has accumulated 52 pressures this season, ranking second among all rookies since 2017 and trailing only Nick Bosa, who posted 60 in his debut campaign. With one game left against the Dallas Cowboys, Carter needs just nine more pressures to topple Bosa’s mark, a feat that seemed impossible when he was riding the bench for disciplinary issues just months ago.
The Giants may have fumbled the “Tank for the Top Pick” sweepstakes, but they found something far more elusive: a homegrown superstar who learned from his rookie mistakes. Carter’s turnaround from a disciplinary headache to a borderline historic disruptor is the best storyline of this lost season.
As the team heads into the finale against Dallas, all eyes will be on No. 11 to see if he can chase down Nick Bosa and put an exclamation point on a rookie year that started in the doghouse and is ending in the penthouse.