The New York Giants need a serious makeover and are hoping that by drafting Kayvon Thibodeaux No.5 overall, he can help jumpstart and fix a never-ending turnaround cycle.
Since 2011, the New York Giants have had to rely on the glory years of 2007/2011 to reminisce on success, as recent history has been the opposite.
With Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen coming in and hoping to recreate the success of the Buffalo Bills in East Rutherford, the Blue in Big Blue is praying to trend toward blue skies as opposed to blue faces of cold, painful occurrences that have not ceased to exist in recent memory.
Thankfully, New York has two first-round picks to work with. Their own at 5, and the 7th overall pick thanks to the Justin Fields trade a year ago with the Chicago Bears.
At No.5, the New York Giants take Kayvon Thibodeaux from Oregon, hoping that he can be a building block for replicating Orchard Park’s success in the Metropolis.
Kayvon Thibodeaux brings a physical and intimidating presence to the New York Giants with the 5th overall pick.
Originally thought to be in consideration for the No.1 pick, Kayvon Thibodeaux was a force at Oregon, racking up 19 sacks over three seasons, including seven in 2021.
He also forced two fumbles. At 6’5″ 258 pounds, the former Duck is an intriguing prospect and will likely be used as a primary pass rusher while he continues to accelerate his skills as a run-stopper.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared him to Brian Orakpo, which in hindsight, is an excellent comparison and not the worst one to have. His effort is also excellent, which will serve him well on the next level.
Consistency, while not a significant issue, will need to be fine-tuned as he goes against more experienced pass rushers in the draft.
It was reported in the New York Daily Post that Thibodeaux had the dream of potentially playing for the Jets or Giants as he says it would be “the biggest stage, that’s prime time.” Well, it looks like he may have gotten his wish after all.
The big stars are often featured in primetime, and if Thibodeaux can help reverse the Giants’ fortunes, primetime exposure will almost certainly follow, given the market size.