Jets should target this EDGE rusher in the 2025 NFL Draft

With the disappointing 2024-25 season finally over, and the General Manager and Head Coach positions finally being filled, the attention of the NY Jets turns to the 2025 NFL Draft.

With the seventh overall pick in the first round, picking a new quarterback may be hard to do. The Jets have eight draft picks in total and have a good chance to find some quality young new talent with the seventh overall pick.

Now, only two questions remain. What, and who should the NY Jets target in the draft? More specifically, where should the NY Jets start with the seventh overall pick in the first round and almost the whole field at their picking? It would be great to say they could draft a generational quarterback at seventh overall, but the fact is, that just won’t happen, especially in this quarterback class. The consensus top signal callers in the claas, Shadeur Sanders and Cam Ward, will both be long gone by then.

However, one generational talent could remain by the seventh pick. One position the NY Jets should target early and often in this draft is an edge rusher. Will McDonald and Jermaine Johnson are fantastic young players. However, they’re unfortunately not enough to fill the holes that were left by guys like Bryce Huff. Unfortunately, Haason Reddick and Michael Clemons just didn’t cut it. The Jets should target this amazing edge rusher with their seventh overall pick.

The NY Jets should target Abdul Carter, Penn State

The king of the edge defender class is none other than Penn State’s Abdul Carter. Carter is the top edge rusher in a particularly deep edge rusher class. He played arguably his best college football season in 2024 when he was named a unanimous All-American, and the Big-Ten Defensive Player of the Year. He also was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten in 2023 & 2024, and Second Team All-Big Ten back in 2022.

In 2024, Carter played in all 16 games with Penn State. He finished the season with a career-high in total, assisted and solo tackles with 68, 43, and 25 respectively. He also finished his college career with 23 total sacks, including a career-high in 2024 with 12. Carter also tied his career-high in forced fumbles in 2024, with two. Carter also finished with a whopping 24 tackles for loss. He’s shown every game his ability to get off the pass blockers and get to the quarterback and was one of the best to do it in college.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Carter is 2024 was his first year playing edge. These were insane numbers for anyone, let alone someone who’s never played edge rusher before. Carter always played as a true off-ball linebacker prior to this season. He always had opportunities to rush off the edge in previous years, but never was strictly an edge rusher before this year. He made the most of his opportunities there, so Penn State decided to put him as an edge rusher full-time, and he never looked back.

Joining an edge rushing room with Will McDonald and Jermaine Johnson is no easy task. However, with Haason Reddick being as good as gone, and Michael Clemons not going to cut it, Abdul Carter could step in and fill these shoes. Should the NY Jets be given the opportunity to, drafting Abdul Carter at seventh overall should be the move gang green makes with their first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

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