Abdul Carter, the New York Giants’ first-round draft pick, has chosen No. 51 as his jersey number for his rookie season in the NFL. Initially, Carter attempted to secure the numbers of Giants legends Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms but was unsuccessful.
At Penn State, Carter wore No. 11, a number given to the team’s top linebacker or defensive lineman. After being drafted third overall last month, he sought permission from Taylor to wear the retired No. 56. Taylor declined and advised Carter to establish his own legacy with a new number. “He has to be the player that he is,” Taylor told ESPN. “He can’t be another Lawrence Taylor.”
Carter’s next attempt was for No. 11, retired in honor of quarterback Phil Simms. Although Simms expressed openness to allowing Carter to wear it during an interview with FanDuel TV, his family decided against it.
Following these setbacks, Carter humorously posted on X about potentially playing without a number before settling on No. 51, previously worn by Azeez Ojulari before his move to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now wearing No. 51, Carter has an opportunity to forge his own path without comparisons to past Giants greats like Simms and Taylor—both pivotal figures in franchise history.
Meanwhile, fellow first-round pick Jaxson Dart will don No. 6 for the Giants after wearing No. 2 at Ole Miss—a number currently held by cornerback Deonte Banks.
As jersey numbers are finalized, attention turns back to football.
Lawrence Taylor’s career included nine interceptions, ten Pro Bowl appearances, and 132.5 sacks after being selected second overall by the Giants in the 1981 NFL Draft.
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