Despite concerns over the New York Giants‘ secondary, things on the defensive line seem to be shaping up quite nicely. Second-year tackle, Dalvin Tomlinson, will be expected to make a major leap in his development and man one of the three down-lineman positions. He will likely play alongside Damon Harrison and B.J. Hill.
The Giants are transition from a Steve Spagnuolo 4-3 defense to a James Bettcher 3-4. This scheme will rely on the defensive line to wreck havoc in the backfield and open up gaps for the linebackers to fill.
Dalvin Tomlinson had a dominant year in 2017, claiming the best interior rookie defender, according to PFF.
The best rookie interior defender in 2017?
That'd be #Giants 2nd-rounder Dalvin Tomlinson.@DalvinTomlinson led rookie interior defenders with 26 Defensive Stops. ?? pic.twitter.com/OtG57yXRcr
— PFF NY Giants (@PFF_Giants) June 17, 2018
He will play a major role in stopping the run and reading the offense at the line of scrimmage. With Pro Bowl quality tackle Damon Harrison featuring on the defensive line as well, we should expect to see a major improvement in the months ahead, and Tomlinson seems to think similarly.
“We got something special in there. We’re all great at stopping the run. When we’re all out there together, we communicate real good. We continue to get better each and every day.â€
“With Snacks teaching me and B.J. stuff each and every day, we’re always learning something new from him.â€
Having a mentor like Snacks to teach the ropes and help when needed is truly a blessing for the young DTs on the roster. His experience and prowess in run support is first-class, and we’ve already seen serious flashes of talent from the former Alabama defender.
How does the rotation on the defensive line look for the New York Giants?
Having a solid rotation will also be an important factor in 2018. While Tomlinson and the other lineman believe they can be three-down players, it’s important to keep them fresh and utilize the depth on the team to help the team remain consistent throughout the year.
The rotational players consist of Kerry Wynn, Robert Thomas, Josh Mauro, and A.J. Francis. The depth isn’t necessarily ‘deep’, but it’s solid enough to provide some backbone to the defensive front.