The New York Giants have poured assets into their defensive line over the last several offseasons, building a unit that has the potential to be elite. On paper, few defensive lines can stack up with the Giants’ unit on paper.
Giants’ defensive line ranks third in the NFL per PFF
Zoltan Buday of Pro Football Focus recently ranked each of the NFL’s 32 defensive lines entering the 2025 season. The Giants came in with a high ranking, landing at No. 3 overall.
Jun 17, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) participates in a drill during minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
“Arguably no team has done more in the NFL to strengthen its defensive line and pass rush over the past couple of seasons than the Giants,” Buday wrote. “They drafted Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter with top-five picks in 2022 and 2025, respectively, and also traded for former first-rounder Brian Burns.
“The team’s edge defender trio is complemented by perhaps the best nose tackle in the league, Dexter Lawrence. Although Lawrence’s 2024 season was cut short due to an injury, his 89.9 PFF overall grade still ranked third among interior defenders.”
The Giants’ defensive line came in third, ranking behind just the No. 1 Pittsburgh Steelers and No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles. Behind the Giants were the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills, respectively.
The Giants’ defensive line has elite potential
Dexter Lawrence headlines the Giants’ defensive line as one of the best defensive players in the entire NFL. Lawrence has made the Pro Bowl in three consecutive seasons, was named a second-team All-Pro in 2022 and 2023, and was on pace for a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber campaign in 2024 before a season-ending injury cut his time short after 12 games.
Last season, Lawrence totaled career-highs with 9.0 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss. Each season, he seems to only get better. A recent poll surveying NFL executives, coaches, and scouts from ESPN had Lawrence ranked as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the league.
On each opposite shoulder of Lawrence will always be a stud pass rusher. Brian Burns is a two-time Pro Bowler in his own right.
Sep 26, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, US; New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) and New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) celebrate after sacking Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Julian Guadalupe-NorthJersey.com
Credit: Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Kayvon Thibodeaux, a former top-five pick, has posted double-digit sacks once before in his carer (2023) and is aiming to make that a consistent achievement.
Then there’s the newcomer in Abdul Carter, who the Giants selected third overall in this year’s draft. Carter was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 after posting 12.0 sacks and a nation-leading 24.0 tackles for loss.
Behind this edge rusher trio is newly-signed Chauncey Gholston, who is coming off a career-high 5.5-sack season with the Dallas Cowboys in 2024.
This Giants defensive line has top-end talent and adequate depth to substantiate its claim as one of the top units in football. But all of this is just projection.
It’s one thing to be a great defensive line on paper. The Giants need to be a great unit on the field this season.
The Giants’ quarterback situation just experienced a dramatic makeover