Giants get Dexter Lawrence some help on the interior
With the first pick in Round 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, No. 65 overall, the New York Giants on Friday night selected Darius Alexander, a defensive tackle from Toledo.
The Giants did not have a selection in Round 2 after Thursday’s trade up for Haxson Dart, in which they gave up pick No. 34.
This is the earliest GM Joe Schoen has selected a defensive tackle in the four drafts he has run for the Giants.
Scouting reports
Giants fans will like this comparison from Dane Brugler of The Athletic:
Alexander is rangy defending the run, with the body fluidity and length to displace blocks. He has shown an improved ability to feel the rhythm of blocks to work of contact but needs to streamline his pass rush with more consistent leverage and sequencing. Overall, Alexander isn’t yet the full sum of his impressive parts, but his blend of power, length and athletic body control give him the makings of a three-down, scheme-versatile NFL starter. He projects best in an attacking role, where he’d be able to maximize his disruptive traits. His peak plays are reminiscent of Leonard Williams.
ESPN says:
Alexander is a better pass rusher than his 9.0 sacks over five collegiate seasons suggest, and he has the tools to continue to get better. He shoots his hands, locks out and pushes blockers rushing the passer. He can get off blocks at the top of his rush and mix in a push-pull move. He gets upfield and redirects inside with an arm over move. Alexander got his hands up and had five passes defended in 2024. He stacks and sheds blocks defending the run. And he fights off through double-teams. He can get into gaps and chases with good effort.
33rd Team says:
Toledo Rockets defensive tackle Darius Alexander is a rocked-up, twitchy defender who boasts loads of potential in a variety of defensive schemes. Alexander has top-tier length and some flashes of strong gap control at the point of attack — he has the needed strength to live and play in any gap along the front.
As a pass rusher, Alexander has an explosive first step and surreal power at his disposal when he’s well-coiled and can unload into blockers with his power rushes. He leans on his heavy hands to jolt with counters or pull blockers off their base. He has consistency questions and would benefit from refinement of his block leveraging, disengagement skills, and pass rush plan to be a more constant threat to offenses, but his physical ability is that of an impact starter.
Giants round-by-round draft selections
Round 1 (No. 3) — Abdul Carter, edge, Penn State
Round 1 (No. 25 … via Texans) — Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
Round 3 (No. 65) — Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
Round 4 (No. 105) —
Round 5 (No. 154) —
Round 7 (No. 219) —
Round 7 (No. 246) —
More draft coverage
- 2025 NFL Draft – Official Big Blue View Big Board
- Pre-draft ‘things I think’: New York Giants GM Joe Schoen has unenviable task
- Big Blue View rules for draft success, 2025 edition
- New York Giants draft scouting reports: All of BBV’s prospect profiles
- New York Giants Draft Hub Page
- Quarterback scouting reports: What NFL Draft analysts, scouts are saying about 2025 class
- SB Nation’s position-by-position prospect rankings
How to watch the rest of the draft
- Rounds 4–7: Saturday, April 26 at Noon ET
TV Channels: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
Streaming Options: ESPN+, NFL+, YouTube TV, Hulu+ Live TV, Fubo TV, Sling TV
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