New York Giants edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux has all the talent and potential in the world. The 2022 No. 5 overall pick out of Oregon is strong, fast, explosive and smart. In his rookie season Thibodeaux had some moments but wasn’t as consistent as he or the Giants coaching staff wants and knows he can be. Thibodeaux missed the first three games of the season as he recovered from a sprained MCL.
Upon return, Thibodeaux made some plays, but not enough to his liking. For the season the former Oregon Ducks star finished with four sacks, five passes defended, two forced fumbles and a touchdown. While, those numbers would be pretty solid to most players around the league, yet alone a rookie, they didn’t sit well with Thibodeaux, who’s his toughest critic.
Last Year’s Film Study Of Self Upset Thibodeaux
In a recent interview with Giants teams reporters, Thibodeaux talked about what bothered him most about his play in his rookie stanza.
“I think every time I look back at a play, you feel like you could have ate a little more,” he told reporters, per the team transcript. “Last year’s film kind of disgust me a little bit when I look at myself. I get a little cringe feeling. But it definitely is, like I said, a platform to continue to grow.”
“Anytime you look at your younger self, you always see how you’ve evolved and matured. So, now it’s me understanding who I was and who I am now and who I’m consistently growing to be.”
Despite his own harsh criticism, Thibodeaux still finished fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, behind Jets All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner who won the award. Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who had 9.5 sacks and three interceptions, and Seahawks cover corner Tariq Woolen also finished ahead of Thibodeaux in the voting.
Giants Hope To Continue Rise
The 2022 New York Giants surprised everyone by not only making the playoffs under first-year head coach Brian Daboll, but also by going into Minnesota and winning a playoff game. The team’s defense was a huge reason for the turnaround.
They’ll look to be even better in 2023, and with an offense that was bend-but-don’t-break in 2022, adding more weaponry in the offseason, they should be better on that side of the football.