Abdul Carter Says He Had Dream Giants Would Pick Him in NFL Draft When He Was a Kid

The feeling of being drafted by the New York Giants was surreal for Penn State's Abdul Carter, who dreamt of the moment in his sleep as a kid.

"I don't remember the exact pick, but I remember (there) being a screen with my name on it," Carter told reporters after Round 1 of the draft. "It's hard to believe but it is true."

The Penn State Nittany Lions edge-rusher reflected on the moment his name was called on Thursday night as the No. 3 overall pick by the Giants.

"Is this really going to happen?" Carter continued. "Then me being here, I feel like everything happens for a reason and me having that dream...everything happens for a reason and this is where I was meant to be."

After spending three seasons at Penn State, where he accumulated 172 total tackles, 41 tackles for loss (including 24 in his final season) and 13 passes defended, the emotions of the defensive standout were at a high on Thursday.

"A lot of emotions definitely hit me when I hugged my mom, hugged my dad, my aunt. A lot of people helped me get to this moment," Carter said.

The 15th unanimous All-American in Penn State history and the 2024 Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year will join a stacked defensive unit that features Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.