The New York Giants walked into the third round with a simple plan: take the best player available.
Little did general manager Joe Schoen know, he might’ve snagged one of the steals of the draft at 65th overall.
Darius Alexander, the towering 6’4″, 310-pound defensive tackle out of Toledo, was widely projected as a second-round pick.
Sometimes, it’s better to be lucky than good.
What Darius Alexander Brings to the Giants’ Defensive Line
Alexander isn’t just big; he’s a wrecking ball in cleats.
He played 630 snaps last season, racking up 37 pressures and 27 tackles, excelling as an elite run defender.
His upside as a pass rusher is undeniable.
Pairing him next to Dexter Lawrence creates a one-two punch in the middle that could collapse pockets like folding chairs at a barbecue.
Alexander’s game is built on size, length, and raw physicality.
When he locks onto a blocker, he drives them backwards like a snowplow clearing a frozen road.
He needs refinement — his balance can get a little shaky, and his fundamentals could tighten up — but those are coachable fixes.
Under defensive line guru Andre Patterson and with Lawrence leading the room, Alexander has landed in the perfect place to unlock his full potential.
A Three-Down Player With Leonard Williams Comparisons?
What really makes Alexander intriguing is his three-down ability.
He can stuff the run early in drives and stay on the field during passing downs, giving the Giants more flexibility on defense.
Some scouts have even compared his skill set to a young Leonard Williams — a disruptive force who could make an impact sooner rather than later.
If Alexander can even tap into a fraction of that comparison, Schoen might’ve found himself a foundational piece for the next four years at least.
The Giants’ Defensive Front Just Got Scary
With Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Abdul Carter, and now Darius Alexander, the Giants are building a defensive line that could be downright terrifying for opposing offenses.
For a franchise that once won Super Bowls on the back of dominant defensive lines, this strategy feels like a return to their roots — and maybe, a return to winning ways.
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