On paper, the New York Giants have one of the most exciting defensive lines in football. Recently acquiring Brian Burns before the 2024 NFL draft from the Carolina Panthers, the team now has two high-upside pass-rushers. Pairing Burns with Kayvon Thibodeaux should compound results, not to mention having arguably the best defensive tackle in football, Dexter Lawrence.
The Giants May Have Hidden Value in Jordon Riley
However, the second defensive tackle job alongside Lawrence is up for grabs despite the fact that veteran Rakeem Nunez-Roches leads the pack for the job. The Giants may have hidden value in seventh-round sophomore Jordon Riley, a former Oregon product who played 135 snaps last season.
Riley collected seven tackles in limited action, routinely commanding double teams and making an impact in run defense. Riley was inconsistent, but the sample is far too small to make any generalized assumptions about his game.
During joint practices against the Detroit Lions, Riley showed a rip-and-pull move against one of the best centers in football, Frank Ragnow. His burst and physicality were apparent, lending themselves to a potential larger role in 2024. In fact, Riley had a few excellent snaps against the Eagles last year, controlling Jason Kelce at the line of scrimmage, a future Hall of Famer.
A “Simpler” Defense
Riley recently stated that new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s defense is much “simpler” than Wink Martindale’s, so he should be able to capitalize on his role, simply stuffing the run and using his quick hands to get after the quarterback.
Fortunately for Riley, the Giants have one of, if not the best defensive line coach in football, Andre Patterson. Riley is entering his second year with Patterson, but DJ Davidson and Ryder Anderson are in their third year.
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One of the three must emerge from the trenches to secure a prominent depth spot, if not win that starting job outright. Davidson has shown quality in the past, producing four pressures and three tackles over 244 snaps last season. Ultimately, this is gearing up to be an exciting position battle, even if Nunez-Roches wins the starting job for the time being.