It’s no secret that over the past few years, especially last season, the defense of the NY Giants had some issues with consistency and execution when it came to stopping the run. Thankfully, new general manager Joe Schoen knew this was a major area of need and on Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft, drafted a player that can immediately help the cause.
With the No. 147 overall pick, the Giants wisely drafted defensive tackle DJ Davidson out of Arizona State. At 6-3 and 327 pounds, Davidson is known as a solid run-stopping specialist that has a knack for stopping opposing rushers immediately on contact.
In four seasons at Arizona State, Davidson totaled 137 tackles, five sacks, and six passes defended. For someone of his size, he’s going to fit in nicely with the Giants’ defensive line and hopefully, be used for those ever-important 3rd and short situations that they’ve had issues with all season long in 2021.
NY Giants drafting DJ Davidson immediately bolsters their run-stopping defense
One thing to know about Davidson is he’s incredibly strong with his size and once he masters his defensive techniques in the pros, will more than likely require to be double-teamed thanks to how disruptive he is. What he lacks in pass-rushing he more than makes up with his natural abilities to hone in on running backs and create key tackles for loss.
It looks like Schoen is making up for Day 2’s weirdness and making smart moves on Day 3. This is where general managers truly earn their stripes because talent can definitely be found thanks to good scouting and the ability to find those hidden gems. On the flip side, it’s real easy to flop in the later rounds and have it come back to haunt you for many years to come.
Hopefully, Schoen got it right with Davidson where he develops into a solid defensive tackle and enjoys many productive years in the city that never sleeps. He should be able to be used in sub defensive packages as it will be very fun to see what he does when his number is called in 3rd and short situations and the opposing team dares to run the football.