New York Giants edge rusher Abdul Carter may have been in some negative headlines recently, but there is no doubt that he is a promising player. In fact, stats show how dominant Carter has been among NFL rookies.
According to SCOUTD, Carter leads the rookie class with 35 pressures this season. That’s far ahead of James Pearce Jr., who is second with 23 for the Atlanta Falcons.
Carter is also first in hurries, second in quarterback hits, and first in win rate.
NFL Pressure leaders among rookies:
1. Abdul Carter (35)
2. James Pearce Jr. (23)
3. Donovan Ezeiruaku (22)
4. Nic Scourton (21)
5. Mykel Williams (19)Abdul Carter currently has a 12-pressure lead over 2nd place through 11 weeks. He also ranks:
• 1st in hurries (26)
•… https://t.co/60QImVB2zU pic.twitter.com/pCjplt9Zsb— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) November 19, 2025
In his first 11 NFL games, Carter has 23 combined tackles, one-half sack, nine quarterback hits, and one fumble recovery. He is at the core of New York’s defense and is earning his place as the No. 3 overall pick from the 2025 NFL Draft.
However, as good as Carter has been, his recent benching has generated considerable negative buzz. After he reportedly slept during a walk-through practice, which he denies, new head coach Mike Kafka did not start him in Week 11 against the Green Bay Packers.
That angered some fans, and they were left wondering if there would be more trouble ahead. Kafka and Carter haven’t discussed the situation in great detail, but Carter did publicly take responsibility for himself and made it clear that he is ready to move on.
Everyone seems ready to put the benching behind them as the Giants prepare to play the Detroit Lions in Week 12. The season may be lost, but Carter is a reason to be optimistic about the future.
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