New York Giants draft: What the selection of DT Darius Alexander means for the Giants

The Giants continue to add to their defense

With the 65th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the New York Giants picked defensive tackle Darius Alexander out of Toledo.

We had to wait far longer for the Giants pick on Day 2 than we thought we would a couple days ago, but it was worth the wait.

The Giants used the first pick of the third round to add a player who was sticking out like a sore thumb on the Big Blue View Big Board. Alexander was the second-highest graded player remaining on our board, and the first defensive tackle in our “Second Round” group.

What does it mean?

The Giants’ defensive front was good in 2025, but suffered from depth issues when injuries hit. The Giants were ultimately forced to rely on several young players who were either late round picks or practice squad signings after Dexter Lawrence was lost for the season.

The addition of Alexander should add to both the Giants’ pass rush as well as their run defense. The combination of Alexander with Abdul Carter gives the Giants’ defense even greater breadth and depth of athleticism.

What does he bring?

Alexander is a classically built 1-gap defensive tackle at 6-foot-3, 305 pounds with 34-inch arms and great explosiveness. He’s an impressively powerful defensive tackle who fires off the ball hard and low, playing with great leverage. He’s technically sound and can play in any one-gap defensive front as a pass rusher or run defender.

He’s able to be disruptive when attacking gaps, as well as be a capable run defender. Alexanders’ strength and long arms let him play off blocks and make plays on ball carriers as they try to run past him.

It’s a mark of Alexander’s upside that he burst onto the scene at the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl, and showed he could hang with the best big school prospects despite being from Toledo.

How does he fit?

Alexander will immediately step in as a rotational defensive lineman next to Lawrence. Alexander will likely start out by backing up Rakeem Nunez-Roches, but could pass him on the depth chart quickly.

The Giants now have an incredibly explosive and athletic defensive front with Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Abdul Carter at edge, while Dexter Lawrence, Elijah Chatman, and Darius Alexander attack interior gaps. The Giants will have one of the most disruptive and fearsome defensive fronts in the NFL.