Mike Clay on ESPN recently ranked the New York Giants’ interior defensive line the best in the NFL entering the 2023 season.
Even though the Dave Gettleman era is over in East Rutherford, Big Blue still has some hog-mollies at the front of their defense.
2023 NFL Interior Defensive Linemen Unit Ranks and Depth Charts.
The Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence led Giants pace the field. pic.twitter.com/XWfOA3Nodn
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) May 11, 2023
Leading the way for Big Blue is Dexter Lawrence, who was the number-one-ranked interior defender by Pro Football Focus in 2023. The Clemson product recorded career-highs in tackles (68), sacks (7.5), quarterback hits (28), and forced fumbles (two). The breakout season earned him a contract extension that makes him the third-highest-paid interior defender in football.
Lawrence’s partner-in-crime, Leonard Williams, was not far behind coming in as the No. 14th-ranked interior defensive lineman by PFF. Williams has averaged about seven sacks a season for the Giants over the past three years and will look to build on his consistency of being one of the premier players at his position.
Behind those two, the Giants have solid depth from some key signings this offseason like A’Shawn Robinson (No. 60 by PFF) and Rakeem Nunez-Roches (No. 116) by PFF.
With those four, plus Ryder Anderson, D.J. Davidson and rookie Jordon Riley, New York will have an elite rotation that will likely make them one of the best run-defensive teams in the league.
