After selecting Abdul Carter third overall in 2025.
NFL Draft, the New York Giants traded back in the first round to select their quarterback of the future, Jackson Dart.
Following the first season of The Rookies, ESPN re-drafted the first two rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft
In the re-draft, after quarterbacks Cam Ward and Tyler Shoff came off the board with the first two picks, the Giants selected Jackson Dart third overall. That selection put Dart in the Giants in blue this exercise — a pick much earlier than the Giants were able to acquire him in the actual 2025 draft.
3. New York Giants
original selection: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State; new selection: Jackson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
No time to wait for the quarterback. Ward and Shoff were already off the board, which could be seen as a sudden turn for the Giants. Dart led all rookie quarterbacks with 24 touchdowns in just 12 starts. He also had the highest QBR of 57.6. Carter would be a good pick again, but New York needs a quarterback in this situation.
The Giants’ original pick, Abdul Carter, lives in New York, but this time to the New York Jets.
7. New York Jets
original selection: Armand Membu, OT, Missouri; new selection: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
The Jets brass were happy with Membu, who started every game. But they’re forced to pivot here, so the obvious choice is Carter, who finished strong after an uneven start to his rookie season. The Jets’ pass rush disappeared in 2025, ranking next to last with 26 sacks. Carter would change that.
The Giants will eventually land a defensive end to bolster their pass rush when their second-round pick arrives.
34. New York Giants
original selection: Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State (HOU pick from NYG trade); new selection: Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE, Boston College
Abdul Carter is long gone at this point, but the Giants would still like to use a premium pick to bolster their pass rush. Ezeiruaku is the best edge-rushing option available at the moment. He had 23 pressures and 12 QB hits in Dallas.
Obviously, things worked out well for Big Blue: They landed one of the top prospects of the entire draft in Carter at No. 3 and still secured their quarterback to draft at No. 25.
Since both Carter and Dart are up for Rookie of the Year honours, the decision to select Tyler Shoff over Jaxon Dart is an interesting one.
With a new coaching staff in place, the Giants hope Dart and Carter can both make significant leaps in their second year. The two first-rounders from the 2025 draft will hopefully be foundational picks the Giants can build on for years to come.
This article originally appeared on Giant Wire: New York Giants take Abdul Carter in ESPN’s 2025 NFL Re-Draft
