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NY Giants Don't Get Much Love in New Unit-by-unit Ranking

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Patricia Traina | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The New York Giants have spent the last few offseasons trying to rebuild their roster so that they can finally climb back into playoff contention. But if ESPN’s positional ranking of the best and worst units by team is any indication, Big Blue still has a long way to go, as they ranked towards the bottom in almost every spot for their position groups.

Mike Clay ranked the Giants 23rd overall, which, of course, meant that the majority of their position groups also fell in the bottom third of the league. But tucked among the bright spots for the Giants in Clay’s ranking were the defensive line, which was ranked sixth overall, and the edge rushers, which were named as the unit to watch in that category.

The defensive line’s high ranking isn’t so much of a surprise considering the team boasts an All-World nose tackle, Dexter Lawrence, as its leader. On the other hand, the high ranking is a surprise considering the defensive line has had its share of issues against the run.

Last season, the Giants' run defense ranked 27th (136.2 yards/game) and 24th in rushing yardage per attempt (4.60). Although the Giants, per PFF, registered 89 tackles for loss, which was fifth best in the NFL, their average depth of tackle (4.37 yards) was the eighth-worst mark in the league.

The defensive line had a big role in the struggles. The Giants’ top six run defenders, according to NFLGSIS, in terms of tackles included the inside linebackers and members of the secondary, which would align with the average yards per rush given up, considering opposing runners were getting through to the second and third levels.

The edge rusher group, which returns Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux from last year, ranked the highest of the Giants' units and was named by Clay as a unit to watch, this likely due to the arrival of rookie Abdul Carter, who gives the Giants their first legitimate three-headed pass rushing threat in years.

In a small sample size this preseason, the Giants, per PFF data, finished with a 49.1% pass-rush win-rate, ranking ninth in the NFL. An improved pass rush should also help the back end of the defense and, ideally, lead to more turnovers, which was a significant weakness in last year’s overall performance.

While the Giants’ position groups on offense inspire the same level of confidence in Clay’s rankings, if the Giants’ belief that the quarterback play held them back last year turns out to be true, it is just a matter of time before New York eventually finds itself rising in the rankings this time next year.

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This article first appeared on New York Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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