Read NFL.com's scouting report of first-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux.
OVERVIEW
He was an honorable mention All-Pac-12 pick and the conference Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2019 with 35 tackles, including a team-high 14 tackles for loss with nine sacks, three pass breakups and one blocked kick in 14 games with five starts. He led Oregon with 9.5 tackles for loss and three sacks (38 total tackles, three pass breakups) in seven starts as a sophomore, collecting third-team Associated Press All-American honors, winning the Pac-12 Morris Trophy as its top lineman and earning the Pac-12 Championship Game MVP award. He had 12 quarterback hurries, two tackles for loss with one sack vs. USC in the conference title game. Though Thibodeaux missed time with an ankle injury in 2021, he was still named a first-team Associated Press All-American and finalist for the Chuck Bednarik, Ted Hendricks and Bronko Nagurski Awards. The first-team all-conference selection led Oregon with 12 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks among his 50 total tackles in 11 games (nine starts) before opting out of the team's bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft.
STRENGTHS
- Scouts say he's fueled by solid internal drive.
- Long, strong, explosive and plays hard.
- Initial movements off the snap are fast and furious.
- Speed to consistently stress high side of the rush.
- Effective shoulder dip and lean into the turn.
- Firm base makes it hard to redirect or wash him down once he's to an edge.
- Wicked closing kick to the quarterback.
- Heavy hands into entry point in speed-to-power.
- Generates decent bull-rush despite lack of desired bend.
- Plays with effective use of length and upper-body power.
- Twitchy hands get on top of blockers first.
- Creates space through forceful punch and extend.
- Treats tight ends to shock-and-awe power at point of attack.
- Back-side burst to wipe out running backs and ruin the play call.
- Pursues ball-carrier with extended motor and plus speed.
View some of the top photos of Giants fifth overall pick and former Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.