Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, in his Dolce & Gabbana suit, said he manifested Thursday night’s No. 5 overall pick:
The 2022 NFL draft’s most controversial personality to the Giants and the Big Apple.
Giants GM Joe Schoen followed that pick up by taking Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal at No. 7 overall.
The first five picks were defensive players, including corners Derek Stingley Jr. and Ahmad Gardner to the Texans and Jets, respectively, at Nos. 3 and 4, before Commissioner Roger Goodell called Thibodeaux’s name.
Schoen had been working the phones but ended up not making any trades. He had all three of the draft’s top tackles on the board.
He picked Thibodeaux, a fascinating talent with a magnetic personality, and waited for the Carolina Panthers to pick N.C. State offensive tackle Ickey Ekwonu at No. 6. Thibodeaux, 6-4, 254-pound specimen, had seven sacks last season and 19 for the Ducks in three seasons.
Schoen then took Neal, a 6-7, 337-pound stud from the country’s best college football program. He made 40 starts for Nick Saban, including 12 at right tackle in 2020, the position he projects to play for the Giants.
