The New York Giants have a strong track record of drafting defensive linemen and pass rushers in the first round who go on to succeed in the league.
Big Blue drafted Lawrence Taylor with the second overall pick in 1981, Carl Banks with the third overall pick in 1984, and, more recently, Dexter Lawrence II with the 17th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. All three were first-round selections and success stories for the Giants.
Many expect the same out of Kayvon Thibodeaux, who's entering his fourth year and has already shown flashes of success earlier in his career.
Giants rookie Abdul Carter, this year's third overall pick out of Penn State, also has high expectations entering year one, as he is already the early favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The difference between Carter and Thibodeaux is that Kayvon already comes with more experience. KT will buy the Giants more time to develop Carter instead of throwing the rookie into the fire instantly, but Giants fans can expect the two to compete for reps throughout training camp.
After a dominant start to his professional career, many still hope Thibodeaux — the fifth overall pick in 2022 — will pan out and become one of the league’s best pass rushers. While he appeared in just 14 games and recorded four sacks as a rookie, he bounced back in 2023 with 11.5 sacks while playing in all 17 games.
Last year, Thibodeaux suffered a wrist injury in Week 5 that required surgery and limited him to just 12 games. He finished the season with 5.5 sacks and 28 total tackles.
As Thibodeaux enters his fourth season, the biggest concern will be whether he can stay healthy and replicate a season similar to the one he had in 2023. KT has also been the subject of trade rumors, as the Giants already have a crowded pass-rushing unit.
Kayvon's recent social media post tells us he's ready for 2025
The Giants drafting Carter — and Thibodeaux being named in several trade rumors — could add extra motivation entering the 2025 season. If that’s the case, we can expect a dominant year from the 2022 fifth-overall pick.
On Monday, KT posted a picture on Instagram of him sacking quarterbacks around the league, along with a photo on X showing him taking down Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., captioned, “Light may guide, but a king is born in the dark."
If this post doesn’t get fans hyped about Kayvon’s potential in 2025 and what he can do this season, nothing will. Thibodeaux already has next season on his mind, and he’s expected to enter this year with a chip on his shoulder after how things ended for him and the team last season.
Opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks on the Giants’ schedule will be up at night knowing they’ll have to face Lawrence II, Brian Burns, Carter, and Thibodeaux — a group looking to make a statement on defense as early as Week 1.