Left tackle Andrew Thomas has the highest career ceiling on the team
John Schmeelk: Fiction - This is very, very close with Dexter Lawrence but let's side with the defensive player on this one. Thomas has an extremely high ceiling but Lawrence has incredible physical traits. For him to be able to move the way he does at 340 pounds gives him near limitless potential, especially since Andre Patterson helped unlock his hand usage and length advantage against centers. Lawrence got better as the year went along and had an edge against nearly every center he lined up against.
Lance Medow: Fact - It's never easy to quantify an offensive lineman because, unlike other positions, there's not as many attractive numbers, recognizable by the public at large, that tell the whole story. That's why it's important to see consistency from a player in the trenches and, most important, durability. Although Thomas dealt with some injuries early in his career, he's coming off a 2022 campaign in which he played in all meaningful 16 regular season games, continued to show progress from Year 2 to Year 3 and earned second-team All-Pro honors. Thomas is just 24 years old and still scratching the surface of his potential. All of these factors make him an extremely attractive commodity and potential anchor on the line for years to come.
Matt Citak: Fact - The Giants have several talented and promising young players on the roster, including guys such as Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Xavier McKinney, just to name a few. But of all the young players currently on the team, Andrew Thomas has the highest career ceiling. The left tackle has shown steady improvement year to year, but the 24-year-old took a monumental step in his development in Year 3. According to PFF, Thomas allowed just three sacks on over 619 pass block snaps in 2022, which led to him being named second-team All-Pro. Thomas has all of the physical and mental tools to be a stalwart on the Giants' offensive line for years to come, and should only get better as he gets more NFL experience under his belt.
Outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux will lead the Giants in sacks for the foreseeable future
John Schmeelk: Fiction - Wink Martindale's system makes this complicated. His high blitz rate tends to spread around the sacks and there usually isn't one alpha eating all of that production. One year it might be Thibodeaux, and the next it could be Dexter Lawrence or Azeez Ojulari. Right now, Ojulari is probably a more consistent pass rusher than Thibodeaux, though Ojulari battled through numerous leg injuries in his second season. Thibodeaux does, undoubtedly, have more pass rush potential than any player on the team.
Lance Medow: Fact - Kayvon Thibodeaux recorded four sacks in 14 games as a rookie in 2022 and finished third on the team behind Dexter Lawrence and Azeez Ojulari, who are also two strong candidates to lead the way moving forward. Lawrence had a career year and nearly surpassed his sack total from his first three years in the league and Ojulari collected 5.5 sacks despite appearing in only seven games due to injuries. Let's give Thibodeaux the edge because we've only seen one standout season from Lawrence and while Ojulari still has a lot of upside, until he stays on the field consistently, it's hard to bet on him setting the tone in sacks. The other factor to keep in mind is no player has recorded double-digit sacks in Wink Martindale's five seasons as a defensive coordinator - this bodes well for Thibodeaux because 7-9 sacks a year could very well do the trick.
Matt Citak: Fact - Thibodeaux has some stiff competition here as Azeez Ojulari, when on the field, has shown a tremendous ability to get to the quarterback. Additionally, Dexter Lawrence showed he can be a real threat in the pass rush with his team-leading 7.5 sacks this season. However, Thibodeaux should lead the Giants in sacks for the foreseeable future. His 17.9 percent pass rush win rate led all rookies as he racked up 40 total pressures in 14 games. This came after the start of his season was derailed due to a knee injury suffered in the preseason. As we saw in the second game against the Commanders, the outside linebacker has the ability to truly take over a game and wreak havoc on opposing offenses.
View photos of every move made by the Giants during the 2023 cycle.
OLB Oshane Ximines - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 21)
OL Jaylon Thomas - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 21)
RB Taiwan Jones - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 16)
OLB Oshane Ximines - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 16)
RB Taiwan Jones - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 9)
K Graham Gano - Signed 3-year contract extension (September 8)
WR Cam Sims - Practice Squad Veteran Signing (September 4)
WR Cole Beasley - Practice Squad; Injured (September 4)
G Jack Anderson - Waived, Injury Settlement
DB Kaleb Hayes, WR Dennis Houston, T Jaylon Thomas - Practice Squad Signing (August 31)
RB Taiwan Jones - Practice Squad Veteran Signing (August 31)
TE Tyree Jackson, G Jalen Mayfield - Practice Squad Exception Signing (August 31)
DB Gemon Green, T Tyre Phillips - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (August 31)
CB Zyon Gilbert - Waived, Injury Settlement
DT Ryder Anderson, ILB Darrian Beavers, DB Alex Cook, QB Tommy DeVito, CB Gemon Green, ILB Dyontae Johnson, TE Ryan Jones - Practice Squad (August 30)
WR Cole Beasley, CB Amani Oruwariye, T Tyre Phillips, OLB Oshane Ximines - Practice Squad Veteran (August 30)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exception (August 30)
DE Boogie Basham - Acquired via Trade (via BUF) with 2025 7th Round Pick for 2025 6th Round Pick (August 30)
DT Ryder Anderson - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
DE Habakkuk Baldonado - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
LB Darrian Beavers - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
DB Alex Cook - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
RB Jashaun Corbin - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
QB Tommy DeVito - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
LB Tomon Fox - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
DB Gemon Green - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
LB Dyontae Johnson - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
TE Ryan Jones - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
LS Cameron Lyons - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
T Tyre Phillips - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
WR Kalil Pimpleton - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
DT Kobe Smith - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
LB Ray Wilborn - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
WR Cole Beasley - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 29)
WR Jamison Crowder - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 29)
C Sean Harlow - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 29)
DB Amani Oruwariye - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 29)
WR David Sills V - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 29)
LB Oshane Ximines - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 29)
TE Tommy Sweeney - Reserve/Non-Football Illness (August 29)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson - Passed Physical (August 29)
CB Aaron Robinson - Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (August 29)
TE Chris Myarick - Reserve/Injured (August 28)
DB Zyon Gilbert - Waived, Injured (August 28)
G Jack Anderson - Waived, Injured (August 28)
G Wyatt Davis - Waived, Injured (August 28)
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton - Reserve/Injured (August 27)
WR Jaydon Mickens - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 27)
OT Korey Cunningham - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 27)
OT Julién Davenport - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 27)
DT Brandin Bryant - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 27)
DE Tashawn Bower - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 27)
DT Kevin Atkins - Waived, No Recall (August 27)
WR Collin Johnson - Waived, No Recall (August 27)
DB Darren Evans - Waived, No Recall (August 27)
NT Donovan Jeter - Waived, No Recall (August 27)
RB James Robinson - Waived, No Recall (August 27)
S/ILB Isaiah Simmons - Acquired via Trade (via ARZ) for 2024 7th Round Pick (August 25)
OT Devery Hamilton - Waived, Injury Settlement (August 24)
LB Troy Brown - Waived, Injury Settlement
CB Rodarius Williams - Waived, No Recall (August 19)
OT Julién Davenport - Free Agent Signing (August 16)
LB Troy Brown - Waived, Injured (August 16)
LB Ray Wilborn - Claimed off Waivers from DEN (August 15)
OT Devery Hamilton - Waived/Injured (August 15)
DL D.J. Davidson - Passed Physical (August 14)
WR Jeff Smith - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Injury Settlement (August 11)
DT A'Shawn Robinson - Passed Physical (August 7)
OL Marcus McKethan - Passed Physical (August 7)
NT Donovan Jeter - Free Agent Signing (August 4)
WR Jeff Smith - Waived/Injured (August 4)
C Sean Harlow - Free Agent Signing (August 1)
OL J.C. Hassenauer - Reserve/Injured (August 1)
WR Sterling Shepard - Passed Physical (July 30)
WR Jamison Crowder - Passed Physical (July 30)
DT Vernon Butler - Reserve/Injured (July 29)
LB Elerson Smith - Waived, Injury Settlement (July 29)
DT Kevin Atkins - Free Agent Signing (July 27)
T Andrew Thomas - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (July 26)
DT D.J. Davidson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 25)
G Marcus McKethan - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 25)
CB Aaron Robinson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 25)
DT A'Shawn Robinson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 25)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 25)
WR Sterling Shepard - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 25)
WR Jamison Crowder - Declared Non-Football Injury (July 25)
DT Vernon Butler - Reserve/Did Not Report (July 25)
RB Saquon Barkley - Franchise Player Signing (July 25)
OLB Tashawn Bower - Free Agent Signing (July 25)
OLB Elerson Smith - Waived, Injured (July 25)
DB Trenton Thompson - Waived, No Recall (July 25)
DT Brandin Bryant - Free Agent Signing (July 24)
WR Makai Polk - Waived, No Recall (July 24)
WR Dre Miller - Waived, No Recall (July 24)
RB James Robinson - Free Agent Signing (July 21)
WR Cole Beasley - Free Agent Signing (July 21)
DB Darren Evans - Free Agent Signing (July 18)
LB Jarrad Davis - Reserve/Injured (July 18)
DB Leonard Johnson - Waived/Injured (July 18)
DL Kobe Smith - Free Agent Signing (June 15)
DL Dexter Lawrence - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (May 5)
OLB Oshane Ximines - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
OLB Habakkuk Baldonado - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
LB Troy Brown - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
DB Alex Cook - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
QB Tommy DeVito - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
DB Gemon Green - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
LB Dyontae Johnson - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
TE Ryan Jones - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
LS Cameron Lyons - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
CB Deonte Banks - Selected in Round 1 (Pick No. 24) of 2023 NFL Draft
CB Deonte Banks - Selection List Signing (May 18)
OL John Michael Schmitz - Selected in Round 2 (Pick No. 57) of 2023 NFL Draft
C John Michael Schmitz - Selection List Signing (May 23)
WR Jalin Hyatt - Selected in Round 3 (Pick No. 73) of 2023 NFL Draft
WR Jalin Hyatt - Selection List Signing (May 15)
RB Eric Gray - Selection List Signing (May 5)
CB Tre Hawkins III - Selected in Round 6 (Pick No. 209) of 2023 NFL Draft
CB Tre Hawkins III - Selection List Signing (May 5)
DL Jordon Riley - Selected in Round 7 (Pick No. 243) of 2023 NFL Draft
RB Eric Gray - Selected in Round 5 (Pick No. 172) of 2023 NFL Draft
DL Jordan Riley - Selection List Signing (May 6)
DB Gervarrius Owens - Selected in Round 7 (Pick No. 254) of 2023 NFL Draft
DB Gervarrius Owens - Selection List Signing (May 5)
DT A'Shawn Robinson - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 24)
C J.C. Hassenauer - Free Agent Signing (April 7)
OLB Jihad Ward - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 29)
TE Tommy Sweeney - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 23)
CB Amani Oruwariye - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 23)
WR Jamison Crowder - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 23)
S Bobby McCain - Free Agent Signing (March 23)
WR Darius Slayton - Free Agent Signing (March 20)
DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches - Free Agent Signing (March 17)
WR Parris Campbell - Free Agent Signing (March 17)
WR Jeff Smith - Free Agent Signing (March 17)
LB Bobby Okereke - Free Agent Signing (March 16)
WR Sterling Shepard - Free Agent Signing (March 15)
TE Darren Waller - Acquired via trade with Las Vegas Raiders (March 15)
RB Matt Breida - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 14)
P Jamie Gillan - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 13)
LS Casey Kreiter - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 13)
G Wyatt Davis - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 13)
QB Daniel Jones - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 7)
RB Saquon Barkley - Designated Franchise Player (March 7)
LB Jarrad Davis - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 7)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Signed, Exclusive Rights (February 16)
G Jack Anderson - Signed, Exclusive Rights (February 14)
TE Lawrence Cager - Signed, Exclusive Rights (February 13)
WR David Sills V - Reserve/Future Signing (January 26)
DB Terrell Burgess - Reserve/Future Signing (January 26)
TE Chris Myarick - Reserve/Future Signing (January 23)
T Devery Hamilton - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
WR Dre Miller - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
DB Zyon Gilbert - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
DT Vernon Butler - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
WR Makai Polk - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
T Korey Cunningham - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
WR Jaydon Mickens - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
WR Kalil Pimpleton - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
RB Jashaun Corbin - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
DB Trenton Thompson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
DB Terrell Burgess - Waived/Injured (May 5)
G Solomon Kindley - Waived
WR Kenny Golladay - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (March 15)
Right now, wide receiver is your best guess for which position the Giants will go with in the first round
John Schmeelk: Fiction - It's hard to love the first-round wide receiver class to begin with (the top receiver this season might have been the fifth or sixth receiver taken in last year's class), and we also don't know how many receivers will be off the board before the Giants make their selection at No. 25. There's a chance a player worth that pick will be on the board, but there's no guarantee of that given the value NFL teams place on having weapons outside. The depth of the cornerback class is much better so you could be leaning in that direction.
Lance Medow: Fact - You can easily make a strong case for wide receiver given the current needs of the team and the Giants selecting 25th overall. But just because they may need a wideout, doesn't mean value late in the first round matches up. With that being said, it still seems the most logical move based on the impact rookie wide receivers have had on their respective teams in recent history. Receivers make the smoothest transition from college to the pros because it's not as overwhelming of a jump or rude awakening compared to other positions.
Matt Citak: Fact - How the team addresses some of its roster holes during free agency will likely provide a lot more insight into how the Giants might use their first-round pick. But as the roster currently stands, along with how the draft class is shaping up, wide receiver seems to be the most logical guess for which position the Giants go after with their first pick. Current projections don't have the first wide receiver being selected until the middle of the first round, with many mock drafts projecting several receivers to go somewhere in the 20s (the Giants pick 25th). This could lead to the team's draft needs lining up perfectly with the best player available. Linebacker and cornerback are other possibilities in the first round, but considering the depth of those positions in this year's free agent class, the Giants could choose to address those positions with veterans and later-round picks instead.
The 2023 NFL Draft class is shaping up to be more loaded on offense
John Schmeelk: Fiction - Just call me Mr. Contrarian this week. Despite the strength and depth at the tight end and running back positions on offense, this is more of a defensive draft class. At least the top three non-quarterbacks in the class could be defensive players, if not more. More than a third, and maybe even close to half of the picks in the first round could be defensive linemen and defensive backs. The back-end of the first round and Day 2 will be more dominated by skill position players on offense, but there are fewer elite players at those positions than in most draft classes.
Lance Medow: Fiction - At this point, you could lean more toward the defense than offense. Three positions that seem to showcase plenty of depth and firepower are edge rusher, defensive line and corner and it's not a stretch to think Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. will ignite a run on two of those positions high in the first round. There's always going to be a focus on the quarterbacks, but don't let that overshadow what could prove to be a substantive group of defensive playmakers.
Matt Citak: Fact - It's a fact sweep. Although the two players widely considered to be the most talented players in the draft class are on defense - Jalen Carter and Will Anderson Jr. - the class is leaning toward being more loaded on offense. Several positions are considered to be quite deep this year, including tight end, the offensive line (both tackles and interior O-linemen), and even quarterback. Now a lot can change following the performances at next week's NFL Combine in Indianapolis and upcoming pro days. But as of now, this appears to be a solid draft if you're looking to add talent on offense.
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah updated his ranking of the top 50 prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft.
No. 50 Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
No. 49 Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
No. 48 John Michael Schmitz, IOL, Minnesota
No. 40 Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin
No. 47 Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
No. 37 Steve Avila, IOL, TCU
No. 46 Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
No. 45 Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
No. 44 Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
No. 43 Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan
No. 42 Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
No. 38 Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
No. 39 Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State
No. 36 Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
No. 41 O'Cyrus Torrence, IOL, Florida
No. 35 BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU
No. 27 Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
No. 34 Joe Tippmann, IOL, Wisconsin
No. 32 Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State
No. 31 Brian Branch, DB, Alabama
No. 30 Quentin Johnson, WR, TCU
No. 29 Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
No. 28 Keion White, EDGE, Georgia Tech
No. 26 Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
No. 25 Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State
No. 33 Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
No. 24 Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
No. 21 Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson
No. 22 Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
No. 20 Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
No. 23 Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
No. 17 Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
No. 13 Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
No. 19 Broderick Jones, OT Georgia
No. 16 Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
No. 18 Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
No. 14 Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
No. 15 Jordan Addison, WR, USC
No. 12 Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
No. 10 Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
No. 11 Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
No. 9 Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
No. 8 Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
No. 7 C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
No. 5 Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
No. 6 Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
No. 4 Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
No. 3 Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
No. 2 Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
No. 1 Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
