The New York Giants spent most of their 2025 offseason revamping the roster and building a foundation. On draft night, they landed Abdul Carter at No. 3 overall. They doubled down by moving up for Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart at No. 25, but don’t overlook what they did to start Day 2.
To open the third round, the Giants snagged Toledo defensive tackle Darius Alexander—a 6-foot-4, 310-pound ball of clay with legit explosion and a serious motor. It was a pick that, in the moment, looked like smart depth. But in the context of where he’s going, it might’ve been something far more valuable.
"It can be a winning lottery ticket playing next to Dex," a league source told NorthJersey.com and The Record during the draft. "So what it comes down to: are you good enough to cash it? And [Alexander] has a chance to be that kind of player."
Dexter Lawrence gives Darius Alexander the perfect blueprint
Fans haven’t seen much of Alexander yet. He spent most of the spring limited to individual drills or rehabbing with the training staff as he worked through an undisclosed injury. But when the pads come on, that’s when his impact will start to show.
There might not be a better on-ramp to NFL life than lining up next to Dexter Lawrence. The All-Pro nose tackle eats double teams for breakfast, wins one-on-one matchups when they dare to try it, and makes life easier for everyone around him.
If there’s a situation built for a developmental lineman to grow fast, this is it.
Alexander’s traits were never in doubt. He showed out at the Senior Bowl, and clocked a 4.80 forty at over 300 pounds. What he needed was time and mentorship, and he landed both. Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen can rotate him in with Lawrence, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Roy Robertson-Harris, and Jeremiah Ledbetter while defensive line coach Andre Patterson helps shape him into something bigger.
The run defense issues that have plagued the G-Men the last few years aren’t getting fixed by one rookie. But Alexander’s violent hands, twitchy first step, and flexibility across alignments give New York a more complete front.
Alexander won't become a star player overnight. It’s about finding the right situation, getting the most out of a physical specimen, and finally giving this team some real insurance next to their biggest defensive anchor. If the league source is right—and this really is a winning lottery ticket—then Big Blue might’ve just walked into its best interior pairing in years, if not decades.
The only thing better than having Dexter Lawrence is letting him train the guy who comes next.