The New York Giants selected Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft. And immediately, the praise came flowing in.
Landing Thibodeaux alongside Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal was considered a coup for the Giants. Both picks addressed long-standing issues and each player should have an immediate Day 1 impact.
But Thibodeaux in particular is an interesting player. He has boom or bust potential and the ceiling on that boom is quite high. In fact, former Giants offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz believes Thibodeaux could become Von Miller-lite.
“I know that this is obviously a comparison that’s not fair to Kayvon, but the defensive coordinator at Oregon last year coached Von Miller at Texas A&M. He says [Thibs] is more comparable to him…than he is to Jadeveon Clowney,” Scwartz told ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
“I think he can get to [Miller’s] level.”
This is not the first time Thibodeaux has been compared to Miller. In fact, many pre- and post-draft comps likened Thibodeaux to Miller, including one from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
By now, you’re aware of the questions that swirled around the Giants’ No. 5 pick Kayvon Thibodeaux over the last three months– on how hard he plays, on being self-absorbed and on how all of it will translate to the NFL, once he starts cashing NFL checks. But as for who he is as a player? There are people in New York who see his skill set as analogous to Von Miller’s. And I’d expect he’ll be used as such in DC Wink Martindale’s complex scheme.
The Giants would certainly love to see Von Miller-like production out of Thibodeaux, especially after taking him at No. 5 overall.
