Abdul Carter Voted over Travis Hunter, Ashton Jeanty, Ward as Best Rookie by NFL Execs

Coaches and executives around the NFL pegged New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter as the top rookie in a poll conducted by The Athletic's Jeff Howe.

Carter received 13 of the 27 votes, more than double the next closest player (Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, six). Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty and Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward each got three votes.

"He'll have the most opportunities to contribute in terms of playing time, and he's got a talented line around him that'll free him up to make plays," one executive said of Carter.

When opposing offensive lines also have to account for Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the former Penn State standout could be poised to put up big sack totals.

Hunter may have a claim to be the most impressive rookie from the 2025 class when the season concludes because the Jaguars are serious about using him as a two-way player. That's a feat a lot of fans will have thought they'd never see.

Splitting reps between offense and defense would, however, have an adverse effect on Hunter's production. Purely in terms of the numbers, his first year may not jump off the page.

Jeanty is up against the general decline in the importance of running backs. Saquon Barkley in 2018 was the last from the position to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

When the Raiders gave quarterback Geno Smith a two-year, $75 million extension and have a 2024 Pro Bowler with tight end Brock Bowers, Jeanty may not get enough touches on the ground to climb to the top of the rookie pyramid.

With Ward, the questions generally surround his supporting cast.

Tony Pollard is a fine first option out of the backfield and that's about it. It's a similar story with a receiving corps revolving around Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson.

Ward may wind up having a season similar to the New England Patriots' Drake Maye, who averaged 175.1 passing yards per contest in 13 appearances. Maye affirmed his status as a franchise QB but wasn't much of a factor in the Rookie of the Year voting.