Giants take Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter with No. 3 overall pick in NFL draft

The New York Giants selected Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday night.

Carter, who led the country with 23 1/2 tackles for loss and had 12 sacks last season, bolsters a Giants defense that already has solid pass rushers in Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns and a strong D-line that includes Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence.

The speedy and explosive Carter was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American pick last season and steadily saw his draft stock soar.

Carter, a native of Philadelphia, was originally a traditional linebacker during his first two seasons at Penn State before moving to defensive end last year. The move paid off as the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Carter's athleticism and elite first step off the ball immediately made him one of college football's most dominant pass rushers.