Second-Year Defender Named Giants' Breakout Player to Watch

The New York Giants were one of the NFL's worst teams at stopping the run last season, and there is no evidence they should be better in 2026.

But if they are, Darius Alexander will have to be a huge presence, which is why he was named the team's breakout player to watch by ESPN's Ben Solak.

Alexander was a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft who had 20 tackles and 3.5 sacks for the Giants last season. He played 16 games, and started two, while the Giants ranked 31st in the NFL in run defense, ahead of only the Cincinnati Bengals.

But Alexander will be thrust into action for the Giants. D-tackle Roy Robertson-Harris sustained a torn Achilles tendon during offseason activities, and New York of course traded Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals for the No. 10 overall pick.

Darius Alexander Named Giants' Breakout Player to Watch

The Giants have an elite pass rush, named their best unit entering the 2026 season. But it'll be up to Alexander, and partners D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris, to occupy interior offensive linemen.

"The departure of Lawrence creates quite the black hole in the Giants' defensive tackle rotation," Solak wrote, "one far too big for DJ Reader to fill himself."

So Alexander stands to be the most important figure to replace Lawrence, even though stylistically he is no Lawrence replacement at all.

"Lawrence is a squatty nose tackle with run-stopping prowess. Alexander is long and linear and wants to play upfield," Solak wrote. "Alexander is an important player in pass-rush situations. For as deep and dangerous as the Giants' room of edge rushers is, quarterbacks will far too easily climb the pocket without an interior presence.

"It actually helps Alexander that he's so stylistically different from Lawrence, as he should avoid unfair one-to-one comparisons this season."

Darius Alexander is a Converted O-Lineman

Alexander came to Toledo as an offensive lineman but switched to defense during his redshirt season. So even though he played four years of D-line, earning second-team All-MAC honors, he is still a work in progress in the NFL.

"Alexander started his college career on the offensive line, so he was always projected for more 2026 impact than 2025," Solak wrote. "Still, he had three sacks and three tackles for loss over the last six games of his rookie season."

But Alexander's offensive history could be a benefit too. He can exploit his knowledge of O-line techniques while putting pressure on rival quarterbacks' faces.