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By Cameron Kiszla
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One of the young stars for the New York Giants is setting high goals for himself in his second season in the pros.
Abdul Carter had an up-and-down year for the Giants last season, but he told reporters at training camp to expect big things of him this season, reports Darryl Slater of NJ.com.
After all, Carter certainly expects big things of himself.
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'I know what I'm capable of'
Asked what Slater called "a general question about his goals," Carter didn't hold back.
“I want to be Defensive Player of the Year,” he said, adding that he "absolutely" can join players like single-season sacks record holder Myles Garrett and Denver Broncos star Patrick Surtain II in claiming the award.
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What gives him the confidence?
“Just my process and knowing who I can be — and a belief in myself,“ he said. ”I know what I’m capable of. I can be whoever I want to be."
As Slater points out, ability has never really been Carter's problem.
He had two fumbles forced and two fumbles recovered last season to go along with four sacks and 43 total tackles, seven of which were for loss, a solid rookie campaign that put him in the top five of voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
He also, however, missed playing time twice for being late.
Granted, he only missed one drive and one quarter, so if he turns those mistakes into learning experiences, he has the athletic potential to fulfill his prediction.
After all, he was drafted third overall last year for a reason.
"If Carter can avoid those foolish, self-inflicted mistakes, he could become a reliable and excellent player for the Giants. And he knows it," Slater wrote.
Whether that level of play will be enough to top Garrett, Surtain, T.J. Watt and possibly returning future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald remains to be seen.
But even if he misses out on DPOY this season, hearing Carter push himself to the heights of the sport is likely to give Giants fans some confidence.
They already have a core of young offensive stars. Add in a strong defense and they could put the NFC East on notice.
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