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Giants Now: ESPN names LT best edge rusher ever

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ESPN names LT best edge rusher in NFL history

Hall of Fame pass rusher Lawrence Taylor put together an impressive list of accolades throughout his NFL career.

Taylor's honors include league MVP, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year, 10-time All-Pro (8x First-Team, 2x Second-Team), 10x Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl Champion, all leading to his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

ESPN recently conducted a poll to find the greatest NFL players at each defensive position. As a surprise to no one, Taylor took the crown as the best edge rusher in NFL history, receiving 40 of 50 possible votes.

"Taylor announced himself to the league as a rookie in 1981 with 133 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 8 pass knockdowns, 2 forced fumbles and an interception and won the league's Defensive Player of the Year award," writes ESPN's Jeff Legwold. "There are many around the league who say Taylor changed the way people thought pass-rushers could be used in a defense. Taylor's best season came in 1986, when he led the league in sacks (20.5), won MVP and earned his third Defensive Player of the Year award."

Here is what some of the other ESPN writers had to say about Taylor as the league's greatest edge rusher ever.

"Taylor is the best football player I have ever seen, regardless of position. I've heard the Reggie White arguments, but they always strike me as parochial -- Philadelphia fans who don't want to admit the guy from New York was better than their guy -- and I just don't see where White was better outside of longevity. Even Patriots coach Bill Belichick considers LT the best player in the history of the game, and who am I to argue with that?" -- Dan Graziano

"Taylor is arguably the best defensive player in NFL history, and he redefined the outside linebacker position. His 1986 season will forever be one of the most memorable seasons by a defensive player. His aggression, relentless nature and ability to take over games made him special." -- Jordan Reid

"Is it even debatable? LT once led the league in sacks, was named Defensive Player of the Year and MVP and won a Super Bowl -- all in the same season. He's a no-brainer here." -- Jordan Raanan.

The runner-up in the vote as the NFL's best edge rusher ever was Reggie White, who received eight votes. Bruce Smith and J.J. Watt each received one vote.

The best photos of Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor, who was named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team

Kenny Golladay's contested catches highlight Wednesday's practice

How are the Giants looking?

That's the question on everyone's mind during training camp, the most visible time of the year before the team takes the field in a live game. It naturally leads fans and media members alike to track open practices throughout the summer, but coach Brian Daboll advised not to dwell on individual plays.

"I think that when you go in a film room and you're the coordinator or you're a coach that's teaching guys, you try not to ride the waves of really play to play because there's a lot of good things that happen, the details of the play that guys are doing things well.," Daboll said before Wednesday's practice. "And you try to be as consistent as you can, whether it's a completion, an incompletion. Why is it an incompletion? You teach it. Why is it complete? It can be a completion, and still the play is not exactly how you need it to be done, the efficiency of it. I just try to keep these guys as level-headed as we can."

Tyrod Taylor brings experience to Giants' QB room

The Giants are Tyrod Taylor's sixth NFL team. He is currently working in his 12th NFL training camp. Since entering the NFL with Baltimore in 2011, Taylor has played in "four or five" offensive systems before he immersed himself in Brian Daboll's offense this spring.

Given the time he's put in and the number of schemes he's learned and the plays he's called, Taylor, the Giants' top reserve quarterback, is perhaps uniquely qualified among the players to gauge the progress of the offense through the first week of camp.

"I think we've taken a step in the right direction each day," Taylor said yesterday. "Thrown a lot of information in the spring. We were together, what, nine weeks? I got a chance to get familiar with the offense so once we were able to get into training camp, it wasn't necessarily zero. We were already leaving on a high note, so we wanted to keep that energy rolling.

"I think (Daboll) has done a great job of mixing different concepts but also allowing guys to do what they are most comfortable with. That's going out there and making plays. You see (rookie wide receiver) Wan'Dale (Robinson) being moved around in different areas. You see KG (wideout Kenny Golladay) and (receiver David) Sills, and I can go on and list (everybody). I don't leave receivers out saying that guys are outperforming others, but you see guys moving around in different spots making plays."

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Giants Fan Fest returns to Metlife Stadium

Free and open to the public, the Giants Fan Fest will feature a Blue & White intrasquad scrimmage, autographs by Giants Legends, and a fireworks show.

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