Abdul Carter channels Giants legend Lawrence Taylor during pre-draft visit to New York

Abdul Carter is more or less locked in at No. 3 for the New York Giants after he posted a photo of Giants great Lawrence Taylor on X.

Abdul Carter channels Giants legend Lawrence Taylor during pre-draft visit to New York

Abdul Carter posts Lawrence Taylor's photo on X (Image via IMAGO/ESPN)

Lawrence Taylor is the benchmark that every pass rusher dreams of touching someday, and Abdul Carter is no different. The Penn State star may get the shot by joining Taylor’s old stomping ground, the New York Giants.

On Friday, Carter was at a pre-draft visit at the Giants facility. He met with head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen.

YouTube video

However, this wasn’t the first time Carter had met Daboll. Incidentally, Daboll has been keeping tabs on the 21-year-old long before the scouting process began.

Daboll’s daughter studies at Penn State, and his son was part of the coaching team during Carter’s initial years with the Nittany Lions. The pair seem to have struck a chord, which bodes well for the Giants.

The Giants draft third overall, and there’s every possibility Carter ends up donning the famous blue jersey, once worn by Lawrence Taylor himself. Carter posted a photo of the two-time Super Bowl winner making his intentions clear about where he wants to be drafted.

Lawrence Taylor is considered by some to be the greatest defensive player in NFL history. That list includes 8x Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick, who was part of the brass when Taylor bagged his two rings.

I had the honor of coaching the greatest defensive football player in the history of the game. He helped make me a great coach… [Lawrence Taylor] could do it all. Offense, defense, special teams. Wherever you wanted him to play, he could have been a great two-way player.

Bill Belichick said via NBC Sports

Taylor played over 180 games for the Giants and recorded 132.5 sacks (could be more because sacks did not become an official statistic until 1982). Abdul Carter definitely has the necessary tools to achieve greatness with the Giants.

I feel like it’s very realistic. I feel like I’m the best player in the country and the best player should be picked first. It’s the work I put in with my dad, who trained me, and all the sacrifices I made, I know I’m the best.

Abdul Carter said in January 2025

Abdul Carter draws comparisons to a Penn State great

Carter is very much locked in for the No. 3 position in the upcoming draft after the Cleveland Browns more or less confirmed eyeing Colorado’s two-way star Travis Hunter at 2. He wanted to be the No. 1 draft pick, but Miami’s Cam Ward is currently the odds-on favorite to top the charts.

Abdul Carter channels Giants legend Lawrence Taylor during pre-draft visit to New York
Abdul Carter (Image via IMAGO)

It’s welcoming news for the Giants because they are possibly getting the next Micah Parsons. The comparison started between Carter and the Dallas Cowboys star because he chose to wear the No. 11 for the Nittany Lions.

Micah Parsons now is who I think Abdul Carter can become. He’s going to be right around 250 pounds at six foot three—has first-step quickness [and] understands how to use length and how to use power.

ESPN’s Matt Miller said on NFL Live

Carter and Parsons worked out together earlier this year, and he stays in contact with the All-Pro edge rusher.

I talk to him a lot. Just before this season, I told him I want to be the No. 1 pick. Want to put some work in, he took me under his wing, we trained together, worked together, everything turned out (well) so far.

Abdul Carter said per Andy Backstrom of the New England Football Journal

Carter played 16 games in total for Penn State in his junior year. He recorded a career-high 68 total tackles (43 solo and 25 assists), 12.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 4 pass deflections. He played a total of 39 games in three years, logging 172 total tackles, 23.0 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 1 interception, and 13 pass deflections. It would seem working with Parsons improved his game.

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