New York Giants

New York Giants first-round pick Abdul Carter will not get the chance to wear No. 56 with Big Blue.

Giants legend Lawrence Taylor, who wore No. 56 throughout his 13-season career, will not allow Carter to wear the number, which has since been retired by the franchise to honor the Hall of Fame linebacker.

“I know he would love to wear that number, but hey, I think it’s retired. Get another number, I don’t care if it’s double zero, and then make it famous," Taylor told Steve Serby of the New York Post.

Carter was quick to respond in a post on X:

The worst thing he could say was NO!! My stance don’t change, LT is the 🐐 nothing but respect… This just gonna make me work even harder!! I love it.

— Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) April 26, 2025

Taylor's comments come after former Giants running back Tiki Barber revealed Friday during an appearance on WFAN Sports Radio that "conversations are happening" with Taylor to let Carter wear No. 56.

.@TikiBarber has it on 'pretty good authority' that 'conversations are happening' to allow Abdul Carter to wear No. 56? pic.twitter.com/4Wpqy44y9l

— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) April 25, 2025

"I have it on pretty good authority that the conversation is already happening," Barber said. "We all know that Abdul Carter is represented by Drew Rosenhaus and Drew's been in the game for a long time.....they're likely making something happen here."

He acknowledged that it is not a guarantee but that it is not "absurd" to believe that Taylor and the Giants would make this decision.

"I don't know the details yet ad I don't know how real it's going to become but it is not an absurd suggestion that LT would allow, and the Giants as well, allow Abdul Carter to wear his number," Barber said.

Taylor is one of the most decorated players in franchise history. In his career he recorded 142 sacks and was a 10-time Pro Bowler, an eight-time All-Pro and the 1986 NFL MVP while leading the team to two Super Bowl victories.

He was also notably the No. 2 pick in the 1981 draft and sets an extremely high standard for Carter to meet.

However, Carter's reputation and past performance at Penn State sets a high ceiling.

Carter had 68 total tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in 16 games for the Nittany Lions in 2024. While he won't be able to wear No. 56, he should quickly carve out a role on the Giants defensive line as the team looks to improve on its 4-13 record from 2024.

New York Giants first-round pick Jaxson Dart received quite the shout out by a franchise icon.

Former Giants quarterback Eli Manning sent a message to the newest Giant quarterback and expressed his excitement at another Ole Miss alum being under center for the Giants

From one Ole Miss QB to another pic.twitter.com/MfU1Aaaakg

— New York Giants (@Giants) April 25, 2025

"Jaxson, congratulations on being drafted by the New York Giants. Obviously, there is a strong connection between Ole Miss quarterbacks and the Giants, going back to Charlie Conerly, and I'm excited that that tradition will continue with you. I'm not going to sit here and tell you what a great organization the Giants are, it will not take you long to figure that out by yourself. It's been an honor and a lot of fun rooting for you at Ole Miss for the last three years to rooting for you for the Giants for 15 years."

Dart said that the message was "special to me" and that Manning was a "role model" to him even before he signed with the Rebels.

Dart was rated as the No. 57 overall player and the No. 3 quarterback in the draft class by Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department. He played three seasons for Ole Miss and threw for 4,279 yards with 29 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2024.

He joins a Giants team that went 4-13 in 2024 and had already selected edge rusher Abdul Carter with the No. 3 pick in the draft. He will likely sit behind Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in 2025 and will hope to gleam some knowledge from the veterans.

While it may take some time for Dart to ascend to the starting role, Manning's support for his old team will continue with a player he has gotten to know quite well over the past few seasons.

New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart told reporters at his introductory press conference Friday that "it's surreal" he'll get the chance to play with nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson.

Dart responded to a question about how he sees himself fitting in right away in a QB room that includes Wilson and Jameis Winston, veterans who signed one-year deals with the Giants this offseason.

Jaxson Dart was asked about the veteran experience in the Giants' QB room:

"They've played at the highest level, won Super Bowls. I remember as a little kid I was watching Russ play, I actually have a jersey of him when he was with the Seahawks" pic.twitter.com/9CQltoXr3v

— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) April 25, 2025

"I think it's just a great opportunity for me to learn," Dart began.

"They've played at the highest level, won Super Bowls. I remember as a little kid I was watching Russ play, I actually have a jersey of him when he was with the Seahawks. So like I said, it's a surreal experience to be able to play here and play with those great guys at such an elite caliber. And I'm just really prepared to take it day by day and try to improve myself and learn from them as much as I can."

It's certainly understandable to see why Dart sees this as a surreal moment. Dart was 10 years old when Wilson, then a second-year pro, led the Seattle Seahawks to a 43-8 Super Bowl victory in February 2014 over the Denver Broncos.

Eleven years later, Wilson and Dart are playing together on the Giants in MetLife Stadium, where the Seahawks won that aforementioned Lombardi Trophy.

Dart is obviously the Giants' new long-term franchise quarterback hope, but there's at least a little pressure off his shoulders for now with Wilson and Winston aboard. He likely won't be thrown into the fire in Week 1 with those two aboard and instead can sit back and learn from them as much as possible before he's called to start someday.

Dart, a former Ole Miss star, was the No. 25 overall pick after the Giants traded up from No. 34 to get him. New York also took Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter with the third overall pick earlier in the first round.

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart is going to the New York Giants after Big Blue traded up from No. 34 to No. 25 overall with the Houston Texans to make a massive splash.

ESPN's Adam Schefter broke down the trade details.

ESPN Sources:

🏈Giants get pick No. 25

🏈Texans get pick No. 34, pick No. 99 and a 2026 3rd-round pick. https://t.co/8xOThWgWi1

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 25, 2025

The phone call that made Jaxson Dart a Giant ☎️ pic.twitter.com/PDehVCRc4m

— New York Giants (@Giants) April 25, 2025

Dart was the second quarterback chosen after Miami's Cam Ward went to the Tennessee Titans at No. 1 overall. Big Blue notably passed on Colorado's Shedeur Sanders to make the move.

The 6'2", 223-pound prospect was the third quarterback and 57th overall player on the final B/R NFL Scouting Department big board.

Here's a look at reaction to the pick on social media, which appeared to be mixed.

As first reported by Joe Schoen’s son Carson on IG a day ago, the #Giants have selected QB Jaxson Dart. They get Abdul Carter and their young QB of the future. pic.twitter.com/gGbLs2lXZZ

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 25, 2025

N.Y. Giants Select Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart 25th Overall

🍎 93.4 PFF Grade Since 2023 (1st Among QBs) pic.twitter.com/b31JEqD7Cd

— PFF College (@PFF_College) April 25, 2025

If you look just at Jaxson Dart’s overall stats the last two seasons you’ll think he must be an amazing QB.

If you click onto “game log” and see which opponents most of those big stats came against …

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) April 25, 2025

My writeup on Giants QB Jaxson Dart pic.twitter.com/eMtxcjI9Sh

— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) April 25, 2025

Jaxson Dart accounted for nearly 25% of Ole Miss’s rushing yards, while also throwing for 4300 yards.

Brian Daboll needs a running QB and the kid can play. The kid can freaking play. #Giants

pic.twitter.com/LkvZLYDm64

— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) April 25, 2025

New York Giants fans… you are getting one tough SOB!

Congratulations to Jaxson Dart!! pic.twitter.com/KeAdACKlxw

— Jon Gruden (@BarstoolGruden) April 25, 2025

Jaxson Dart will end up being the steal of the draft….he needs to be Giants day 1 starter. pic.twitter.com/WXLmLMOCL7

— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) April 25, 2025

Not one time did I say “that’s a future franchise QB” when I watched Jaxson Dart

— The Anonymous Nobody (@el_budget) April 25, 2025

Jaxson dart wasn’t even better than Matt corral at ole miss and the giants moved up to draft him over shedeur lmao this is the nastiest nfl draft ever

— John (@iam_johnw) April 25, 2025

25) NYG: Jaxson Dart - QB/Mississippi

An aggressive trade up but within the price range according to our Draft Pick Value Chart. Dart gives Brian Daboll his guy to try and develop without any pressure of putting him on the field as a rookie. Dart has one half of the best throws…

— David Syvertsen (@Ourlads_Sy) April 25, 2025

The definition of QUARTERBACK. So excited and proud of @JaxsonDart! Great player but an even better person!!! The @Giants got an ELITE one. Go be great 2!!!! pic.twitter.com/Z9oYaKbWiR

— Jake Reiling (@JakeReiling97) April 25, 2025

Last season, Dart completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns and six interceptions. He threw for 329.2 yards per game and 10.8 yards per attempt while running for 495 yards and three scores.

The 21-year-old, who was born and raised in Utah, was also first-team All-SEC last year. Last year's Ole Miss team went 10-3 overall (5-3 SEC) capped by a 52-20 win over Duke in the Gator Bowl.

Dart played 45 games over four years for USC (2021) and then Ole Miss (2022-2024) after transferring. For his career, Dart completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 11,970 yards, 81 touchdowns (27 interceptions) and 9.2 yards per attempt.

He's a proven winner and productive player, and now he's a member of the Giants, who hope that he's the long-term solution at QB.

Leading into the draft, multiple teams were reported to have interest in Dart, including the Giants and Cleveland Browns, per ESPN's Jordan Raanan, who noted the possibility of a trade-up from the beginning of Round 2 into Round 1 for the move.

Have spoken to multiple league sources over past couple days who believe the Giants and Browns both like Jaxson Dart. This would be a spot of interest for teams in the QB market. https://t.co/StVI6dEHLe

— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) April 24, 2025

ESPN's Dan Graziano reported on Get Up! Thursday that the Giants preferred Dart as their QB2 over Sanders.

Graziano also stated in a separate report that there were "speculative connections" between Dart and the Browns and Los Angeles Rams. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler added connections between Dart and the Giants, New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers.

In the end, Dart landed with New York, who now looks to him as the quarterback of the future.

The New York Giants have their new star pass rusher.

The Giants selected Penn State's Abdul Carter with the No. 3 pick in Thursday's NFL Draft after a tremendous collegiate career with the Nittany Lions. Carter already has high expectations for the Giants heading into the 2025 season.

"We're going to be dominant," he told reporters.

Carter also assured Giants fans he's bringing his all to New York.

“Just being incredible, that’s what I am, that’s what I do," he said on NFL Network. "It’s what I’ve been doing my whole life. New York, I’m coming. You’re gonna get the best out of me.”

The @Giants defense just got a serious boost in Abdul Carter 💪 @JamieErdahl

📺: 2025 #NFLDraft – on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/cltDRVwgcw

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) April 25, 2025

Carter was the No. 2 player on the final big board from Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department, only behind Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter.

He spent three seasons with the Nittany Lions, racking up 172 tackles, 41 tackles for loss, 23 sacks, five forced fumbles and an interception in his college career. In his final seasons in State College, he had 68 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.

Heading into the draft, Carter was seemingly a lock to be a top-five pick, but the question was where exactly he would land.

The Cleveland Browns were in the mix for Carter over the past few months, especially after star pass rusher Myles Garrett requested a trade in February. Ultimately, Garrett stayed with the Browns this offseason, giving them the freedom to trade away their No. 2 pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who landed two-way star Travis Hunter.

One of the biggest questions for the Giants heading into the offseason was their quarterback situation. Because New York had no clear option under center, Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders were two of the names to watch at No. 3.

Ultimately, the Giants landed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency, meaning drafting a quarterback became less of a priority. That put New York in a prime position to add an elite pass rusher in Carter.

Now one of the big questions for the Giants is whether they'll ride with both Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux this season or search for a trade for Thibodeaux and commit to Carter. The Athletic's Jeff Howe reported earlier this week that New York could trade Thibodeaux for a third-round pick.

Carter won't solve all of the Giants' issues as they continue their rebuild, but having him on the roster means New York has a fortified defensive line heading into the 2025 season.

The Tennessee Titans have the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft on Thursday, but the New York Giants reportedly made a strong push to acquire the selection.

ESPN's Jeff Darlington reported that the Giants were the "most aggressive" team to attempt to trade for the No. 1 pick from the Titans. A Giants source told Darlington, "They were never moving off the pick. We tried."

Titans sources tell me the Giants were “the most aggressive” team to pursue a trade for the No. 1 overall pick — and Giants sources tell me the Titans quickly rebuffed: “They were never moving off the pick. We tried.”

That and more as we remain embedded here with the Titans: pic.twitter.com/Jt459l1KJg

— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) April 24, 2025

The Giants own the No. 3 pick and will have the chance to select a blue-chip prospect. Moving up to No. 1 would've given them the chance to select their future franchise quarterback, but that luxury belongs to the Titans.

Darlington reported that the Titans refused the Giants' offer because they're expected to select Miami quarterback Cam Ward first overall. The signal-caller impressed Titans personnel during his pro day, both with his passing skills and his confident personality.

"That is the day when the Titans fell in love with not only the player, but the person as well," Darlington said.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department predicted in its final mock draft that after the Titans select Ward and the Cleveland Browns select Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, the Giants would use the No. 3 pick to select Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter, who is the No. 2 overall player on the department's final big board.

Carter would become an instant star in New York, as he has the skills to make an immediate impact in the NFL. Despite failing to acquire the No. 1 pick, Giants fans should be satisfied if the team adds a prospect as talented as Carter at No. 3.

The New York Giants have exercised their fifth-year option on outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, keeping him under contract with the team through the 2026 season.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen announced the news after selecting Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft on Thursday.

Joe Schoen said they’re exercising Kayvon Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option and dismissed the possibility of a trade. “Kayvon’s going to be here. We’re excited to have him. You can’t have enough pass rushers.”

— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) April 25, 2025

Yeah we going crazzyyy!!!! ז

— Kayvon Thibodeaux (@kayvont) April 25, 2025

New York picking up Thibodeaux's fifth-year option comes after an NFL executive told The Athletic's Jeff Howe that the Giants could trade the edge-rusher for a third-round pick if they select Carter in this year's draft. 

The Giants selected Thibodeaux out of the University of Oregon with the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

The 6'5", 258-pound Thibodeaux recorded 49 tackles, 13 quarterback hits and four sacks in 14 games as a rookie. He didn't post gaudy stats but had a penchant for game-breaking plays.

Of note, Thibodeaux sacked Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and forced a fumble recovered by then-teammate Leonard Williams to seal a 24-20 comeback win.

He also sacked then-Washington Commanders quarterback Taylor Heinicke and recovered his own forced fumble for a touchdown in a 20-12 road win. It was a huge victory for the Giants, who were fighting the Commanders for a playoff berth.

In 2023, Thibodeaux had 50 tackles, 16 quarterback hits and 11.5 sacks in 17 games. He had two or more sacks in three games, including a three-sack, nine-tackle day in a 13-10 loss to the New York Jets.

In 2024, Thibodeaux missed five games due to a wrist injury that landed him on injured reserve. He still finished with a career-high 17 quarterback hits to go along with 28 tackles and 5.5 sacks.

Last year wasn't a great season for Thibodeaux and the Giants, who finished with a league-worst 3-14 record. However, it's clear New York has high hopes for him, and he's showcased his tremendous game-winning potential at times in the past. So it appears he'll be in town for two more years as the Giants look for brighter days.

One NFL source suggested that New York Giants owner John Mara could mandate that his team selects Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the third overall pick in the draft on Thursday, per Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz.

"Mara loved Josh Allen back when they took Saquon [Barkley]," the source told Schultz, referring to when the Giants passed on taking quarterback Eli Manning's successor in the 2018 NFL draft and instead rolled with Penn State running back Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 overall pick.

"He had his Eli (Manning) successor in Allen and didn't push for it. That's stuck with him. What if Thursday night he just says, ‘F--k it, it's my team. I want the QB.' That flips the draft on its head."

Those remarks were dropped amid another Schultz report about Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter, who has been frequently connected to the Giants at No. 3 overall.

"Several sources believe general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll wish to take [Carter] at No. 3 overall, character or injury chatter be damned," Schultz wrote.

Regardless of the NFL source's speculation on Mara's feeling, it does appear that most signs are pointing toward the Giants rolling with Carter.

For starters, consider the source himself in talks with New York reporters.

Abdul Carter is asked which team he has the best feeling about ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft: "Definitely New York right now"

He adds he will bring "everything" to the table in the NFL pic.twitter.com/c8bd2rtIL5

— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) April 23, 2025

In addition, the latest intel from NFL draft analyst Todd McShay (7:15 mark below) points toward Carter being the pick.

Other plugged-in names in the industry have Carter going to New York, including ESPN's Peter Schrager, ESPN's Jordan Raanan, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer and The 33rd Team's Ari Meirov, among others.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Giants select Sanders instead, considering the team's need for a quarterback long-term. Right now, the Giants have two veterans on one-year contracts leading the QB room in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.

But Carter seems like the pick, regardless of any smoke otherwise.

The New York Giants reportedly didn't reach a conclusion after holding workouts with a trio of top quarterback prospects just a week before the 2025 NFL draft.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that while the Giants "made waves last week by scheduling last-minute private workouts" with Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, Alabama's Jalen Milroe and Louisville's Tyler Shough, "I’m told those workouts didn’t necessarily seal any decisions."

Russini added that "it’s clear New York is doing its homework" and explained that the team is preparing for multiple scenarios.

"The team had Sanders ranked as its No. 1 quarterback headed into the combine, but things have since shifted," Russini stated. "For now, I’m told they want to be ready for anything — including the possibility of drafting a non-quarterback at No. 3 and then trading back into the first round later to grab 'their guy' at QB."

B/R's NFL Scouting Department predicted in its mock draft that the Giants would select Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the No. 3 pick and then grab Milroe with the No. 34 pick.

After signing veteran quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this offseason, New York can afford to take a chance on a rookie and have him develop behind the two of them. Giants fans will be anxious to see how things play out when the 2025 draft kicks off on Thursday.

The New York Giants reportedly haven't yet made a firm decision on what they plan to do with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

According to ESPN's Peter Schrager, the Giants have had "fluid conversations" throughout the week, and he noted that he wouldn't be surprised if teams are contacting the Giants for a potential trade up if New York is not convinced about taking Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter third overall.

Schrager noted that as of a few days ago, it sounded like the Giants would take whoever was still on the board between Carter and Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter at No. 3, but that is far from set in stone.

While the Giants have an obvious need for a future franchise quarterback above all else, Miami's Cam Ward seems likely to go first overall to the Tennessee Titans.

That would leave Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart as the top quarterbacks remaining, but taking either of them at No. 3 would perhaps be a reach, especially considering what New York could get for a potential trade down.

If Ward goes first and Hunter then goes second to the Cleveland Browns, it would leave Carter as the consensus best player still available on the board.

Pass-rusher is not among the Giants' most pressing needs, though, since they tied for eighth in the NFL in sacks last season and are set to return Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux as starting edge-rushers.

Given the perceived drop-off in talent from Carter to the next tier of players, it stands to reason that Giants could land a substantial trade package from a team that wants to move up and select Carter on the heels of him recording 12.5 sacks and 24 tackles for loss in his final collegiate season.

Depending on how far the Giants trade down in that scenario, it would allow them to address areas of greater need such as offensive line with LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell, Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou or Alabama guard Tyler Booker.

The Giants could also look to take a tight end such as Penn State's Tyler Warren or a cornerback such as Texas' Jahdae Barron or Michigan's Will Johnson.

Of course, quarterback could remain an option as well, especially on the heels of Schrager saying Tuesday on the Pat McAfee Show that the Giants "haven't closed the door" on the idea of taking Sanders.

"The Giants haven't closed the door on taking Shedeur Sanders..

I still think that Shedeur makes sense to the Steelers because I hear that him and Mike Tomlin had a great meeting" ~ @PSchrags #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/TLQ8lwxUyM

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 22, 2025

That would give New York a quarterback of the future to develop behind Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, and trading down from No. 3 likely would net the Giants several extra picks as well.

Staying at No. 3 and making a pick may still be the likeliest scenario, though, and that is what the BR NFL Scouting Department projected to happen in its latest mock draft with the Giants selecting Carter third overall.