Pro Football Focus has ranked New York Giants’ defensive tackle, Dexter Lawrence, the second-best interior defender in the NFL.
Lawrence was topped by only Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs.
What separates Lawrence from other defensive tackles is his elite pass-rushing production, primarily from a nose tackle alignment.
Others may be nose tackles in name only, but Lawrence has 81 total pressures over the past two seasons when lined up as a nose tackle. No other player has more than 16.
Lawrence has been an amazing player since entering the league (totaling 266 tackles, 10 passes defensed, 21 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, and 79 quarterback hits in just five seasons) but recently he has been getting his flowers.
Sexy Dexy has made two straight Pro Bowl trips and was named Second-Team All-Pro the last two seasons and as shown above, he has clearly earned it. Even last season the Clemson product finished ninth overall in the Defensive Player of the Year race.
Lawrence is the best defender on the Giants’ roster and is forming a lethal pass-rushing front with Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Big Blue has a lot of holes on the roster but the trio should be able to strike fear in opposing quarterbacks.
