Which 5 NY Giants are most vital to the defense?
By David Solow
Football is the ultimate team sport, but the overall success of the 2021 NY Giants defense rests in the hands of a select few
Positional value is a hot topic among fans, especially around the NFL Draft season, but it’s the roster building that takes a full year that has the biggest impact on teams, the NY Giants no different.
Some positions in football are more valuable than others. This is why only one kicker has been selected in the first round in the last 40 drafts (Sebastian Janikowski was taken by the Raiders in 2000).
Matt McGuire from Walter Football Draft Report created the NFL Positional Value Pyramid. The chart ranks all the positions based on research from former Colts GM Bill Polian and Steve Belichick (Bill Belichick’s father). This chart helped me rank the most important NY Giants on defense, but it was not the sole determining factor.
The talent level of the players is another huge element in the ranking. Additionally, I considered the Giants‘ depth at each defensive position and how the NY Giants would fare if an injury occurred to a particular player.
Here is a player that barely missed the top 5:
Honorable Mention: Dexter Lawrence
Position: Interior Lineman
Positional Value: Tier 6 (last)
What makes him a great defensive player?:
Lawrence was dominant for the NY Giants in his second season. He had 53 tackles, four sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and six tackles for a loss in 2020. PFF ranked him as the 3rd best second-year defender last season (behind Jeffery Simmons and Quinnen Williams).
Lawrence has rare size and length for an interior defensive lineman. Standing at 6’4″ and 342 pounds, the goliath from Clemson put up 36 bench press reps at the 2019 NFL Draft combine. The former five-star high school recruit is someone that disengages from man-to-man blocks whenever he wants, which makes him a terror vs. the run.
His 84-inch wingspan measures in the 97th percentile for a defensive lineman. This makes his 36 bench press reps even more impressive. Shorter arms can make it easier to bench press, and Lawrence has anything but. Lawrence’s length makes him adept at batting down passes and creating leverage when rushing the passer.
Rushing the passer is the area where Lawrence needs to improve the most. Dave Gettleman didn’t draft Lawrence to be strictly a run stuffer. He needs to replicate his historically great 2016 season at Clemson when he was one of the best pass rushers in college football.
How would the NY Giants fare without him?
Lawrence would surely be missed, but the interior defensive line is still one of the team’s deepest positions, even after losing Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency. Leonard Williams, Austin Johnson, and Danny Shelton could hold up well enough vs. the run in Dexter’s absence.
Defensive tackle BJ Hill could provide some pass-rushing juice on passing downs. Despite being one of the most talented players on the NY Giants, Lawrence isn’t as essential as some other defenders because of the position he plays on the interior.