Touchdown Wire ranks only one iDL ahead of Giants’ Dexter Lawrence

Dexter Lawrence was drafted by the New York Giants with the 17th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. For the last four seasons, Lawrence hasn’t missed a single game, and his play continues to improve as he dominates the inside.

Touchdown Wire ranked the NFL’s 11 best interior defensemen, and Lawrence sits at number two, behind only Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Over his career, Lawrence recorded 213 tackles (116 solo), 16.5 sacks, and 58 quarterback hits. In 2022, he recorded his best season to date (by far), earning him a Pro Bowl selection and a four-year, $90 million contract extension.

One thing we know for sure — nobody was more destructive to opposing quarterbacks last season as a nose tackle. From the 0-tech and 1-tech alignments (head over the center and to the center’s shoulders), Lawrence racked up 47 total pressures. Vita Vea of the Buccaneers ranked second… with 18.

That’s quite a big gap. And Lawrence is versatile; he’s not limited to nose tackle alignments. Lawrence can move around the line and be effective from pretty much anywhere. If a team is rushing in his area, they will find there isn’t far to go.

Multiple times throughout the season and against various teams, Lawrence blew past his blocker and tackled running backs for a loss or sacked the quarterback.

Sexy Dexy is the heart of the Giants’ defensive line, he’s consistent and reliable. And, let’s be real, he’s fun to watch.