Apparently, star defensive lineman and New York Giants captain Dexter Lawrence doesn’t subscribe to the popular “more money, more problems” saying. On Monday afternoon, it was reported that the 28-year-old is seeking a trade after frustrations boiled over regarding his contract.
While there’s no imminent threat that he’ll be suiting up for another team come Week 1, having a backup plan shouldn’t be overlooked, especially with the clock officially ticking. Whether the Giants and Sexy Dexy can find some middle ground or not, the 2026 Draft presents the perfect opportunity to find a solution before it becomes one.
Last year, New York spent a third-rounder on Toledo DT Darius Alexander. After a pretty anonymous season, the 6-foot-4, 310-pounder found his footing late, with 3.0 of his 3.5 sacks, 11 of his 20 tackles, and three of his four tackles for loss coming over the final six games.
Alexander showed flashes as a pass rusher late, and with Lawrence potentially on the way out, that leaves a need for a true run-stuffer to help get Big Blue’s run defense back on track.
4 draft prospects who could step in if Dexter Lawrence is gone
Christen Miller, Georgia
I've been on the bring-Christen-Miller-to-North-Jersey bit for a while, and if Dex is gone, the need to bring in someone like Georgia's defensive lineman makes more sense than ever. Miller uses his 6-foot-4, 320-pound frame in ways guys his size aren't exactly supposed to. He's got a quick burst with a lot of upper-body power, which can throw offensive linemen off their spot, but he isn't perfect.
The 21-year-old will need to add functional mass to become the defensive anchor his potential suggests he could be. Right now, he's too easily moved and isn't equipped to take on double teams. Still, in the best conference in college football (SEC), he managed a 90.2 run-defense grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking eighth out of 913 qualified players.
The pass-rushing outlook isn't as great, but the physical tools and athleticism are there to be molded. Miller has already confirmed he'll have a 30 visit with the G-Men before the draft.
Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
Not to confuse Lee Hunter with Tom Hanks, but he's also big. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 318 pounds, it's not all that surprising to see the 23-year-old put up great numbers in run defense. According to PFF, he earned an 84.5 run-defense grade, 12th among FBS interior defenders, finishing in the 96th percentile in run-stop rate.
With Alexander leaning into what he does best -- collapsing the pocket from the inside -- Hunter could stick to his strength as a ground game eater, taking on double teams and making offenses more one-dimensional. Unlike Miller, Hunter shows proper balance and recovery through double teams, but that’s mostly because he leans on size more than technique right now.
Hunter lacks the initial burst right now to create early wins as a rusher.
Peter Woods, Clemson
If the 2024 version of Peter Woods were coming into the draft this year, there's a chance he'd have a legitimate chance at going No. 5 overall. But 2025 was relatively unkind to the 6-foot-3, 300-pounder, and now there's a chance the G-Men could grab him 37th and become the next linchpin in their defense for the foreseeable future.
The 21-year-old would give Big Blue a good amount of collective pass-rushing juice alongside Alexander. He won't win reps consistently on his own without a larger repertoire of moves or long arms, but his ability to collapse the pocket with some friends makes him an interesting three-down lineman.
His 2024 tape might be a better representation of the upside Woods has, but clearly he has the potential to be a game-changing presence along a defensive front.
Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
Did I intentionally save the best for last? Maybe. Kayden McDonald is the only player on this list who, I would say, is worth trading back into the first round for. The 6-foot-2, 325-pounder would instantly improve the run defense and give Big Blue its next mauler in the middle.
Advanced analytics aren't everything, but PFF makes a pretty compelling case for Giants fans to feel better about replacing Lawrence, with his 91.2 grade ranking first among FBS interior defenders. If that doesn't sell you, maybe his landing in the 99th percentile in run-stop rate and 95th percentile in run-defense metrics will.
McDonald is the worst pure pass-rusher out of the four, but if he's consistently blowing up run plays and making life a living hell for running backs instead, who cares?