John Mara is sick of watching opposing offenses do whatever they want against the Giants’ defense.
Well, his team now may be able to draft arguably the best pass rusher in the country to help fix the problem.
Penn State’s First-Team All-American defensive end Abdul Carter has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, according to ESPN.
“I expect Abdul will be one of the top picks of this draft and a future All-Pro,” agent Drew Rosenhaus told the publication.
Carter is one of the premier prospects in the country, ranking second on ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper’s 2025 draft board, and should hear his name called early in the April draft.
The Philadelphia native tallied 12 sacks this past season to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors in his junior season.
He notched one sack while nursing an injury shoulder in Thursday’s 27-24 College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Notre Dame that ended the Nittany Lions’ season.
Carter could be the first defensive player taken in the draft, with Heisman winner and two-way Colorado phenom Travis Hunter and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham also in the mix for that honor.
Hunter is the top-ranked player on Kiper’s board, while Graham ranks third.
Carter could be an intriguing option for the Giants should they either pass on adding a quarterback or not have the ability to do so.
It’s possible the top two quarterback prospects in Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are off the board, leaving the Giants to choose among Carter and Hunter, among others.
If the Giants trade for a quarterback like J.J. McCarthy, take a flier on Justin Fields’ potential upside or simply don’t like the quarterback prospects, they also may be more inclined to bolster the defense.
There’s also the chance Tennessee and Cleveland could draft defensive players with the first two picks, respectively, although both teams have glaring quarterback needs.
The Giants actually had a productive defense last year in terms of sacks, tying for eighth with 45, but that didn’t slow down opposing defenses.
Some have wondered if the Giants’ matador defense will result in coordinator Shane Bowen being one-and-done, but The Post’s Paul Schwartz reported there’s a “good chance” Bowen will not be dismissed.
