Q. What have the last 12 or so hours been like for you?
ABDUL CARTER: Definitely been surreal. I don't think it really hit me yet, but it's really just a blessing just celebrating this moment with my family.
Q. Abdul, I'm sure you dealt with these at Penn State, too; now that you're in the NFC East, everybody is going to compare you to Micah Parsons. How do you handle that, and do you see similarities in your games?
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, for sure. I learned a lot from Micah, just me being at Penn State wearing No. 11. We keep that brotherhood tight.
But at the end of the day, I'm my own player, and I want to make my own name. That's what I've done.
Q. What do you think about getting to play against him?
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, it's going to be dope. Seeing him twice a year, we was talking yesterday just about this moment, us getting to this moment and just seeing each other, that jersey swap at the end of the game. That's going to be dope.
Q. Before or after you got drafted?
ABDUL CARTER: Like just during the whole process, before I got drafted, after I talked to him.
Q. Did you hear from him after you got drafted from the Giants?
ABDUL CARTER: Yes, sir.
Q. What do you think about that?
ABDUL CARTER: He's just proud of me. Just talked about all the work that we put in, all the things that led me to this moment.
Q. Did you hear from Saquon about being here?
ABDUL CARTER: No, not yet.
Q. Do you know him?
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, for sure. I met him a couple times.
Q. Have you talked about numbers yet? There's a couple of numbers that are already retired that you would probably be eyeing?
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, we're still in the process of that, but we'll see what happens.
Q. Which number would you prefer?
ABDUL CARTER: We'll see what happens.
Q. For the Giants fans that don't know you, what kind of player are they getting here in New York?
ABDUL CARTER: Just an exciting player, a fun player. I like to get the crowd involved, get the crowd hyped on 3rd downs, get my best pass rush, make that big explosive play, just 100 percent effort, my energy. I'm bringing everything.
Q. You said you had a dream when you were 12 or 13 that you were going to be a Giant. Do you remember what your reaction was when that dream happened, like whoa?
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, it's like -- it's kind of like, is this really going to happen, then me being here, I feel like everything happens for a reason, and me having that dream -- everything happens for a reason. This is where I was meant to be.
Q. Did you think about that when you got the call? Did you think, oh, my gosh, this is really happening? What was that like?
ABDUL CARTER: All the emotions definitely hit me when I hugged my mom, hugged my dad, my aunt, all the people that really helped me get to this moment. It definitely hit me, yeah.
Q. What happened in that dream? Was it your first game? Were you in the Super Bowl?
ABDUL CARTER: No, it was just like -- I don't remember the exact pick, but I remember seeing the screen, like my name on it. It's hard to believe, but it is true.
Q. Abdul, is there anything in your game that maybe you think you need to improve on at this level?
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, I feel like I'm just getting started. This is my first year in a new position, just all the technical stuff. I feel like I can improve in all the areas of my game.
Q. Can you describe that transition? What made you going from being an off ball linebacker to switching to edge this year?
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, just knowing how dominant I could be. When my coaches took me on, they trusted me. I just told them, I feel like it would be most helpful for the team for myself switching positions, being on the edge, just doing what I do best, playing fast, playing free. It all worked out.
Q. So you went to them to make the change?
ABDUL CARTER: Yes, sir, yeah.
Q. What's your relationship like with defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and some of the other defensive guys?
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, I got to talk to them a lot throughout the process. Really just me getting to know them as a person, getting to know them as men, then me being here, I'm going to get to work with them more, to know them more, and we're just going to hit the field running.
Q. What was your level of excitement like last night when they traded back up to take Jaxson so they'd get you and him in the first round?
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, it was dope. I'm a big fan of Jaxson. I played against him in the Peach Bowl when he was at Ole Miss. He ended up winning that game, but just seeing how accurate he was just dishing the ball out, I knew he was a good quarterback. It was a great pickup.
Q. What's your scouting report on Jaxson?
ABDUL CARTER: Well, he beat us, so if you beat Penn State in a big game like that, I know you're the real deal, especially at quarterback.
Q. We've seen some of your highlight packages and it seems like that play that you sacked him force fumble is included in that, even though you lost the game --
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, it didn't end up counting, but I definitely got a good shot at him. But he's tough. He got right back up, kept playing throughout the whole game. So I knew right there he was a good player.
Q. Flag on the play, is that what happened?
ABDUL CARTER: No, they said when he released it, he was in a throwing motion so they didn't count it as a strip sack.
Q. You mentioned still being in the process with the number. Obviously 56, you made that comment yesterday about that being a possibility. Do you know Lawrence or have you talked to him at all, and if not, what do you expect from that? How much do you look forward to getting a chance to --
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, I haven't met him yet, but I feel like eventually I will. But he's the greatest football of all time, somebody I look up to. Just want to just follow in his footsteps knowing how great he was. I just want to chase greatness, and knowing that he was the best, that's what I want to chase.
But I didn't say it just like I'm saying I want to be better than Lawrence Taylor. That's more me looking up to him, inspired to be like him.
Q. You're in a little bit of a unique situation because you're joining a team within a division that's going to see the Super Bowl champs twice a year. Do you believe that you can help close the gap between those two?
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, absolutely. But it's a process. All that stuff is going to take work. I'm just going to start by getting here, getting to know the people around the building, getting to know my teammates, getting to know them as men. Then once we're on the field, just creating havoc as a defense.
Q. Jaxson has been described as strong in the pocket, like to stay in there to make the play. How rare is that for quarterbacks that you've faced, like when they see somebody like you coming that they don't just bail?
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, you've got to be tough for that. That's definitely a toughness attribute. When we were playing, I landed a really good shot on him, and he got right back up and dusted off like nothing happened. He ended up winning that game, so I know he's a really good player.
Q. What got you interested in Lawrence Taylor because obviously his last game, I believe, was nine years before you were born. Most guys watch players that are still playing. What got you interested in Lawrence Taylor?
ABDUL CARTER: Well, obviously just me being an edge, playing edge, and who's the greatest edge rusher of all time, everybody is going to say LT. Greatest defensive player of all time, everybody is going to say LT. If you don't know LT as a defensive player, that's kind of crazy.
Q. Do you bring any kind of attitude -- people say smiles off the field, nasty on the field. Do you think that's important in your game?
ABDUL CARTER: I just play football, at the end of the day. I just trust my teammates, hope my teammates trust me. At the end of the day, just play football.
Q. Have you talked with Kayvon or Brian Burns?
ABDUL CARTER: Kayvon sent me a text. I seen Brian Burns earlier in the building, said what's up to him, shook his hand. Yeah, just interesting getting to know those guys and just building that relationship.
Q. What did Burns tell you when you got to meet him in person?
ABDUL CARTER: Nothing specific. Really just an introduction, getting to know each other.
Q. Throughout the process talking to people about your game, a lot of people brought up the idea of as special of a player as you are skill-wise, what you showed, the toughness you showed in the playoffs to go out with the shoulder and then come back in the game really set a tone for some people who were watching you play. They thought that meant a lot. Were you even thinking of it at that point, or was it just about your team and you --
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, I knew. I knew if my teammates was in the same position I was in, they'd go out there and lay it all on the line for me. I knew that I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure I put my team in the best position to win, knowing what was on the line. If I had to make the choices again, I'd do it again, just be out there with my brothers.
Q. What have they told you about how you see your role? Have they gotten into that yet of how they could see using you?
ABDUL CARTER: Yeah, they talked just a little bit on my visits here, but wherever my coaches need me to play, that's where I'm going to play.
Q. What are you looking forward to most about being in New York?
ABDUL CARTER: Probably just getting settled down, getting to know my teammates, then just get right back to football, get back to work.
Q. Are you physically ready to be in the rookie mini-camps and all those things?
ABDUL CARTER: Yes, sir, I'm ready to go.
DraftScripts by ASAP Sports
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports