"Way to be a top five pick, man," Micah Parsons said to NFL rookie Abdul Carter. "We talked about it, you did it. Congratulations."
Though Parsons and Carter did not play on the same Penn State team, the former Dallas Cowboy has been a mentor for the now New York Giant linebacker. For the Fanatics' Aug. 5 debut of "The Locker Room" — a documentary short featuring various NFL legends and current stars sharing heartfelt messages with rookies — it was a no-brainer for Parsons to send his congratulations to Carter. He also received a customized Parsons jersey, inscribed and autographed, alongside his personal video message.
"I learned a lot from [Parsons], just me being at Penn State, wearing No. 11, we keep that brotherhood tight," Carter said, according to Bleacher Report in April.
Carter was the No. 3 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft going to the New York Giants. As a junior in 2024, he recorded 68 tackles (43 solo, 25 assisted), 23.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, four pass break-ups, four passes defensed, and two forced fumbles.
"Couldn't be happier for the kid, because I saw how hard [Carter] worked . . . he just wanted to absorb the knowledge," Parsons said, according to Bleacher Report. "He wanted to be great, man. I just can't wait to see him shine."
Since starting his pro career, he became a noticeable player instantly in unpadded practices and was hard to keep eyes off of. Carter's currently listed as the Giants' starting strongside linebacker. Teammates around him at training camp have also offered praise. Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said to ESPN that Carter possesses innate linebacker traits, stuff he has only seen twice in his eight NFL seasons.
In recent events of Parsons stepping away from the Cowboys due to contract disparity, a statement he made on social media where he said he'd love to play with the now New York rookie in January resurfaced. Though the former Dallas defensive star submitted a trade request, it's improbable that the Cowboys will make a trade with the Giants. Still, it's an exciting idea to toy with given the defensemen's comparable playing styles and Carter's similar NFL path to Parsons he's already embarked on.
The Giants have the first game of their preseason trio on Saturday, Aug. 9 against the Buffalo Bills. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Highmark Stadium. The Washington Commanders will be New York's first regular season game of 2025 on Sunday, Sept. 7 with kickoff slated for 1 p.m. at Northwest Stadium.