When you think about the New York Giants’ 2025 draft class, your mind probably jumps straight to the big names. Abdul Carter, the explosive top-five edge rusher, had scouts drooling. Jaxson Dart, the quarterback with the golden arm, could be the franchise’s future. These are the guys getting all the headlines, all the Instagram highlights, all the mock draft love from talking heads.
But here’s the thing about football, and life, really, sometimes the guys who matter most are the ones you’re not watching. The ones grinding in the shadows while everyone else is chasing the spotlight.
Rookie 3rd Rounder Showed Improvement So Far
Meet Darius Alexander. The Giants’ third-round pick out of Toledo. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, Toledo? But before you start rolling your eyes, remember that some of the NFL’s grittiest players came from places that don’t make SportsCenter every night.
Alexander’s been fighting an uphill battle from day one. While Carter was wowing coaches in spring practice and Dart was threading needles in seven-on-seven drills, Alexander was stuck on the sidelines nursing an undisclosed injury. Nothing career-threatening, mind you, but enough to keep him out of those crucial early practices where rookies typically make their first impressions.
That’s the brutal reality of the NFL. You miss time as a rookie, and suddenly you’re playing catch-up in a league where everyone’s already running at 100 miles per hour. Alexander found himself in that exact position: watching from the sidelines while his draft classmates got their feet wet.
His preseason debut against Buffalo? Twenty-two snaps, mostly rushing the passer, and he looked like what he was, a guy still finding his NFL legs. Slow off the snap. Getting tangled up in blocks. The kind of performance that makes coaches furrow their brows and fans start questioning draft boards.
Against the New York Jets in Preseason Week 2, Alexander was more involved and flashed as a disruptor on the line of scrimmage, creating havoc for Justin Fields, Adrian Martinez, and Brady Cook. However, he may not be ready to start, as he still lacks some burst off the ball and play strength.
While he may not be the instant impact run stopper they need, Alexander should get some time to develop from a part-time role player to an eventual starter down the line.
Dexter Lawrence Needs a Complement on the DL
But here’s where this story gets interesting. Dexter Lawrence II, you know, the Pro Bowl defensive tackle who’s been the heartbeat of this Giants defense, sees something in the kid that maybe the rest of us are missing.
“He’s a willing learner. He’s humble. I like his attitude,” Lawrence said, and when a player of his caliber vouches for a rookie, you listen. “Whatever Coach Dre or I say to him, he corrects it the next day. I love the way he responds to adversity.”
That’s not coach-speak. That’s a veteran recognizing something real in a young player. Lawrence has personally taken Alexander under his wing, and if you’ve watched the joint practices with the Jets, you’ve seen it: Alexander shadowing Lawrence like an eager pupil, soaking up every word, every technique, every piece of wisdom the veteran is willing to share.
There’s something beautiful about that mentorship. Lawrence, remembering what it was like to be young and overwhelmed, pays it forward to the next generation. It’s the kind of thing that happens every day in NFL locker rooms but rarely gets the attention it deserves.
Giants Desperately Need Another DT to be Good
Here’s the harsh truth about the Giants’ defensive line situation: for years, it’s been Lawrence and then… well, everybody else. When Lawrence has been on the field, the defense has looked respectable. When he’s been off?
That’s when opposing offensive coordinators start licking their chops.
The numbers don’t lie, and they’re pretty damning. Last season, when Lawrence was on the field, opponents completed 65.8% of their passes. Without him? That number jumped to 73.3%. Passing yards per attempt went from 7.4 to 8.0. Those might seem like small differences, but in the NFL, they’re the difference between getting off the field on third down and watching the other team march down the field.
The run defense numbers actually looked better without Lawrence, 5.3 yards per carry with him versus 4.0 without, but that’s misleading. The Giants were throwing extra bodies at the line of scrimmage to compensate for his absence, basically admitting they couldn’t trust anyone else to fill that void.
Then Lawrence suffered that season-ending dislocated elbow injury on Thanksgiving against the Dallas Cowboys. Watching him writhe in pain on that MetLife Stadium turf was gut-wrenching, but it also exposed a fundamental weakness in the Giants’ defensive construction. They had no legitimate Plan B.
Developing Talent in a Variety of Ways
Alexander’s development isn’t just about one player finding his footing: it’s about the Giants finally having that second punch they’ve been missing since Leonard Williams left town. The potential for a Lawrence-Alexander tandem that could give offensive coordinators nightmares.
But potential doesn’t win games. Development does. Growth does. The ability to turn those rough preseason moments into productive regular-season snaps.
The process is slow, sometimes frustratingly so. Alexander is heading in the right direction, but “right direction” doesn’t guarantee anything in this league. Plenty of third-round picks have headed in the right direction straight to the practice squad, then to other teams, then out of the league entirely.
What gives you hope with Alexander is that hunger. That willingness to learn. The fact that he’s not letting early struggles define him. And most importantly, he’s got a mentor in Lawrence who genuinely wants to see him succeed.
Making a Name for Himself in a Unique Way
Another young defensive tackle who is pining for a roster spot this year is Elijah Chatman, who was good enough in the preseason last year as a rookie to land on the team. However, due to competition, he has actually been playing some fullback as a new way to keep him on the active 53.
Daboll’s former team, as the offensive coordinator, the Buffalo Bills, utilized the fullback position, but in New York, that hasn’t been the case. But now, the Giants have their own version of Scott Matlock on their hands, even if he is more undersized at 5’11”, 278 pounds for a defensive tackle.
The 24-year-old was a UDFA rookie last year from SMU and has been “breaking facemasks” this summer, hoping for another shot to be on the Giants. Although he is not the best run stopper, Chatman does give some pass-rushing juice and speed from the interior. There is value in that, along with his recent development as a multi-role player on offense and as a blocker.
Both Young DL Key for Defense to Evolve
This is bigger than one rookie defensive lineman trying to make a roster. This is about organizational depth. About building something sustainable rather than relying on individual brilliance. About having players ready when injuries inevitably strike.
The Giants have talked a big game about improving their run defense, about getting tougher up front, about creating a defensive identity that can carry them through tough games. Alexander might not be the most exciting piece of that puzzle, but he could be one of the most important.
Sometimes the best stories aren’t about the first-round phenoms or the headline-grabbing trades. Sometimes they’re about third-round picks from Toledo who show up every day, learn from their mistakes, and gradually earn the respect of Pro Bowl teammates.
Alexander’s story is still being written. The preseason struggles are just the opening chapter. Whether it becomes a tale of perseverance and growth or another cautionary story about the unforgiving nature of professional football remains to be seen.
But with Lawrence in his corner and a coaching staff willing to be patient, this forgotten man might just find his voice when it matters most.
