Giants’ latest visit hints they’re done ignoring one key defensive spot

Could Sexy Dex get a running mate?
Sep 28, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive lineman Joshua Farmer (5) and linebacker Blake Nichelson (20) and Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) in action during the game between the Southern Methodist Mustangs and the Florida State Seminoles at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Sep 28, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive lineman Joshua Farmer (5) and linebacker Blake Nichelson (20) and Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) in action during the game between the Southern Methodist Mustangs and the Florida State Seminoles at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

After fielding one of the most uninspiring rosters in the NFL last season, Joe Schoen and the New York Giants came into the offseason looking to do anything to buck the trend. They addressed a few depth pieces on the defensive line, but Dexter Lawrence still needs a legitimate running mate. Lawrence is one of the best defensive tackles in the league and making his job easier is a must.

Schoen brought in Roy Robertson-Harris, Jeremiah Ledbetter, and Chauncey Golston to bolster the line, but none figure to be starting in the interior next to Lawrence. Golston is best used as an edge rusher, while Robertson-Harris and Ledbetter are better served as depth pieces. If the G-Men want to unlock the full force of their front four, they need to add another starting-caliber body.

Enter Florida State's Joshua Farmer. Farmer is viewed as an ascending player ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. And (per Ian Rapoport) the Giants will be bringing him in for one of their Top 30 visits during the pre-draft process.

Giants eye pass-rushing help next to Sexy Dex, host FSU DT Joshua Farmer

Farmer isn’t some ready-made monster in the middle, but there’s a lot to like.

At 6-foot-3, 318 pounds with long 35-inch arms, he’s built for the trenches and knows how to use his length. He’s not a gap-plugging, block-eating run-stuffer, and that’s OK. The Giants already have one of those in Lawrence. What they need is someone who can get upfield and take advantage of the space Lawrence creates. That’s exactly what Farmer has shown flashes of doing.

His burst is solid, and he wins with power more than finesse. He’s not going to rack up 10 sacks in a season, but his nine over the past two seasons at Florida State suggest there's some juice there. He’s more than capable of collapsing pockets and making life easier for Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux on the outside.

Farmer is widely considered a Day 3 pick, but his strong week at the Senior Bowl and impressive pre-draft measurables have him climbing draft boards in a hurry. He held his own against top interior O-line talent in Mobile and showed he can play in multiple schemes, whether it’s anchoring as a two-gapper or getting upfield as a disruptor.

A decent player comp for Farmer might be former Philadelphia Eagles (now New England Patriots) DT Milton Williams. The size and athletic profiles line up, and both offer intriguing interior pass-rush upside that could carve out early rotational roles.

A Top 30 visit doesn’t guarantee Big Blue will be calling Farmer’s name on draft night. But it confirms there’s real interest in shoring up a defensive interior that’s been ignored for far too long. After all, the G-Men haven't drafted a DT in the first four rounds of a draft since Lawrence in 2019.

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