The Giants’ Top 5 Players of the 2020s

With five seasons of games and players, there is now plenty of material for rankings in the 2020s. Although the 2020s have not been the New York Giants’ proudest decade, there are still quality players to praise.

Honorable Mention: Leonard Williams

Before getting traded to the Seattle Seahawks, Williams was a defensive stud for the G-Men. Even in the years when their future was uncertain, Williams was a Pro Bowl-caliber lineman. His best season as a Giant was 2020, when he had 11.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. He is tied for second in sacks on the team since 2020, and third in tackles for loss.

Williams was a much-needed veteran presence for a team that was vastly inexperienced. He had a significant impact on current Giants star Dexter Lawrence’s development.

5. Kayvon Thibodeaux

Picked fifth overall, there have been heavy expectations for Thibodeaux. Even though he has not lived up to those expectations, the growth is clear. Thibodeaux has been great at using his athleticism to get quick pressures and force bad decisions. Since 2020, he’s tied for second in tackles for loss and third in sacks for the G-Men.

Before his injuries last season, he was putting together a great display of pass-rush wins. With there being so much pressure on the Giants’ d-line to be great this season, he has the chance to become a premier pass rusher.

4. Xavier McKinney

Another former Giant makes the list. McKinney has led the Giants in interceptions since 2020 with nine. In 2021, he put himself on everyone’s radar, registering 93 total tackles and five interceptions. With the Giants, it was clear he was a star in the making, which is why it’s still a wonder why they let him walk in free agency.

McKinney was a big-play machine that brought endless energy to the defense, someone who every team would love to have.

3. Saquon Barkley

Before his heart-crushing exit, Saquon was becoming a Giants all-time great. Although some Giants fans want to erase his name from team history, it’s impossible to ignore his greatness. He would easily be at the top of the list if it had been since 2018, but with the list only being since 2020, his resume looks much less impressive.

Even without including his first few seasons, Saquon still has 2,000 more yards than the next running back on the rushing yards list since 2020. His resurgence came in 2022, when he had over 1,300 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He was the engine that drove the Giants’ playoff berth and was spectacular throughout the whole season.