The New York Giants selected defensive end, age 21 Abdul Carter of the Penn State Nittany Lions third overall in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft
As a devout Muslim, Abdul Carter honoured his faith with his outfit at the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He held a Giants shirt with the number one on the back as he stepped on the stage after the Giants selected him.
Abdul Carter talked to media as he arrived on the red carpet before the momentous occasion of being selected by an NFL team.
Who is New York Giants’ Abdul Carter, bio, age, height, parents, girlfriend, religion, high school, college, stats and Instagram
21-year-old Abdul Carter was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 2, 2004 to Christopher Carter and Tina Carter in a Muslim family and is 6ft 3in tall.
His father taught him how to play both football and chess and Christopher Carter works as a professional limousine driver after graduating from Commonwealth University-Bloomberg.
Abdul has four siblings: sisters Cheryl Carter and Cianie Carter, and brothers named Isaiah Carter and Hakim Carter. He is currently single and unmarried.
He went to Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania’s La Salle College High School and played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, earning unanimous All-American and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2024.
He recorded 78 tackles as a senior and despite offers from Ole Miss and South Carolina, Carter, a four-star recruit, decided to play football for Penn State. He participated in the Big 33 Football Classic after his senior year ended.
HISTORY: New #Giants pass rusher Abdul Carter is the first Muslim player to be drafted in the top three in #NFL draft history.
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A historic draft pick. pic.twitter.com/MWPxzBNpzH
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 25, 2025
Carter participated in the Philadelphia Catholic League while attending La Salle College High School. Carter contributed to La Salle’s 9-2 record and PCL title in his senior year.
At La Salle, Carter was named to the All-Catholic League three times and captained the team in his senior year. Carter was a four-star prospect who picked Penn State over major colleges like Ole Miss, Michigan, South Carolina, and others, according to 247Sports.
Abdul Carter’s career stats
Shortly after high school graduation, in June 2022, Abdul Carter enrolled at Pennsylvania State University. During his collegiate debut against Purdue, he was dismissed for targeting. At the start of his rookie campaign, Carter was a vital linebacker reserve.
In Penn State’s eighth game of the season against Minnesota, he started for the first time in his career. Carter was selected to the second team of the Big Ten Conference after finishing the season with 56 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, a team-high 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and four passes broken up.
Carter was a consensus All-American and the 2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. After Penn State lost the 2025 Orange Bowl, he declared for the 2025 NFL draft.
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