Standing out amongst a crowd is something that was never a challenge for Abdul Carter whom the Giants selected with the third overall pick in this spring’s draft. But that was before. The type of crowd Carter's among now — one of the better defensive line units with premier edge rushing talent — will be tougher competition for the spotlight.
Linebacker Bobby Okereke said the top pick has demonstrated a smart trait in camp so far: “I feel like he’s understanding that it’s better to listen as opposed to talk,” Okereke said.
But that's not to say the 21-year-old isn't making his presence known. “He’s a quiet, confident guy,” the veteran linebacker said. “But as I get to know him more, he’s got a dominant personality and it shows on the field.”
While the pads have only recently gone on and the first preseason game is still a week away, Okereke said the “explosiveness” and “instincts” of the rookie are on full display.
“You put him at inside linebacker and he’s not necessarily trepidatious or asking what to do. He’s got that demeanor and mentality, he’s going to make a play at whatever position you line him up at,” Okereke said. “He’s just a dog football player, and I’m excited that he’s on my team.”
Carter is doing all of this while bouncing around different positions, working on the inside on the line and as a linebacker, which is “not easy.”
“Whether you’re lining up at 3-tech or end or an inside linebacker, he’s executing well and he’s executing with speed,” the seven-year veteran said. "I’ve been very encouraged by what he’s done, very impressed, and I’m excited for what he’s going to bring to this unit.”
Offensive guard Jon Runyan Jr. said Carter presents a host of issues for linemen.
“He's got fantastic bend, unreal quicks and speed,” he said. “Being out there, especially when he comes inside, that's not like his natural home, but when he gets in there, I think he'll be able to cause a lot of havoc in there on the inside when he goes against guards.”
On that matchup problem on the inside, Runyan explained a “shifty” player like Carter can “give you a really quick hesitation, left, right, and kind of stutter your feet" and then disappear.
“And next thing you know, he's already around you,” Runyan said. “Being able to match that speed on the inside is something that you're not really used to when you're going against big guys that don't obviously move like that, that are more inclined to work bull rushes with their hands.
"When you get Abdul there, he's trying to work an edge around you. And that's just kind of a different thing that you're seeing on the inside.”
Of course, while the pass rush is formidable, even in this era of the NFL, stopping the run will always be at the front of everyone’s mind.
“What we say is, you got to earn the right to rush the passer,” Okereke said. “That’s being dominant on first and second down, creating [tackles for loss], getting knocked back up front, playing downhill at the linebacker position. As we go through camp, and go through these practices, I feel like it’s just building that continuity of the unit where the safeties understand how the D-line is fitting, the D-line understands how the linebackers are fitting, and, etc. We’ve been doing great work there.”
Okereke credits defensive coordinator Shane Bowen as a “schematic mastermind” that will lay the building blocks for the defense to “execute the techniques and fundamentals.”
Read the full article here
