The New York Giants‘ roster has been panned as one that is devoid of top talent, but they do have one player they can hang their hat on: Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence.
The 6-foot-4, 340-pound 2019 first-round pick out of Clemson has become a monolithic presence in the middle of the Giants’ defensive front, an immovable force.
Last year, Lawrence led all NFL interior defensive linemen with 9.0 sacks, and he did it in just 12 games, missing the Giants’ final five games with a dislocated elbow. Lawrence is clearly head and shoulders over the pack when it comes to one particular stat.
Most pressures when lined up at nose tackle since 2022:
1. Dexter Lawrence – 103
2. Vita Vea – 23“Dexter Lawrence is in his own world,” says @StevePalazzolo_ ⤵️
📰: https://t.co/OzfIPnDLZVpic.twitter.com/xiH92ZcL92
— Matt Citak (@MattCitak) June 26, 2025
Lawrence has become such a standout that many insiders have no choice but to recognize his ability and achievements. In a recent piece for Bleacher Report, Brent Sobieski listed Lawrence as a top-5 candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Interestingly, Lawrence is the catalyst among this talented group, because he’s such a rare talent. Massive interior defensive linemen aren’t supposed to be capable of consistently harassing quarterbacks. They’re supposed to be space-eaters who let everyone else get the glory. Keep in mind, Lawrence managed nine sacks in 12 games played in 2024 and only 550 total snaps, per Pro Football Focus.
With the talent now around the 27-year-old making it harder to double-team him, the Giants’ three-time Pro Bowl nose tackle could easily accumulate double-digit sacks for the first time.
The group being referred to here is the Giants’ linebacker group of Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and rookie Abdul Carter. They should surely ease the burden on Lawrence this year, as will rookie defensive lineman Darius Alexander and a stronger defensive line rotation.
Lawrence was a workhorse on the defensive front in 2024, playing nearly 80 percent of the snaps, an unheard-of amount of playing time for a man of his physical stature.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Could Giants’ Dexter Lawrence win Defensive Player of the Year?