Carter, who led the country with 23 1/2 tackles for loss and had 12 sacks last season, bolsters a Giants defense that already has solid pass rushers in Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns and a strong D-line that includes Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence.
The speedy and explosive Carter was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American pick last season and steadily saw his draft stock soar while also drawing comparisons to former Penn State star and current Dallas Cowboys standout Micah Parsons.
Carter, a native of Philadelphia, was originally a traditional linebacker during his first two seasons at Penn State before moving to defensive end last year. The move paid off as the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Carter's athleticism and elite first step off the ball immediately made him one of college football's most dominant pass rushers.
The Giants, along with many other teams, envision Carter as a dominant force in the NFL, too. And with New York having signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency, quarterback wasn't a pressing need for general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll.
So, with Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders available and at times during the past few months rumored to be a target of the Giants, New York instead chose to add another key piece to its defense with Carter.
He didn't participate in on-field drills at the NFL combine in Indianapolis in February because of a shoulder injury he suffered in Penn State's win over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Carter also was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right foot during the combine.
He's expected to be fine for the NFL season, and teams weren't scared off by the injuries.
And Carter certainly doesn't lack confidence.
During the combine, he left no doubts as to who he thought was No. 1 among the draft's prospects.
"I feel like I'm the best player in the country and the best player should be picked first," he said. "It's the work I put in with my dad, who trained me, and all the sacrifices I made, I know I'm the best."
On April 11, Carter met with Giants coaches at the team's facility for one of New York's in-person visits with top prospects. Carter, in a bit of foreshadowing less than two weeks before the draft, posted a picture of Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor, who's widely regarded as one of the greatest and most dominant defensive players in NFL history.
Carter will now get his chance to make his mark on the NFL and create his own legacy with the Giants.