4 Giants land on ESPN's top 100 players for 2023
With the 2023 regular season right around the corner, some media outlets have been previewing the upcoming campaign by breaking down the best players in the NFL.
The latest to do so is ESPN, which polled a dozen of their NFL experts "to rate players based on performance expectations for the 2023 season as compared with their peers" in order to come up with their predictions for the top 100 players for this year.
When the final results were in, four Giants players ended up on ESPN's list.
First up is running back Saquon Barkley, who is the highest Giant on the list at No. 39.
"Barkley was finally healthy last season, and he looks even better this summer..." wrote ESPN's Jordan Raanan. "The bottom line is whenever he has been on the field in his career, he has produced. The Pro Bowler played 80.2% of the offensive snaps last season, most among running backs."
Barkley did not miss a single game due to injury in 2022. The 26-year-old running back ran for a career-high 1,312 yards, the fourth-most in the NFL, and scored 10 touchdowns to go with his 57 receptions for an additional 338 yards. He was voted to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career and finished third in the NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year voting.
The 6-foot-0, 232-pound back added an additional 114 yards on 18 carries (6.3 avg.) and two touchdowns in the team's two postseason games, along with seven receptions for 77 yards.
View photos of Giants running back Saquon Barkley's time with the New York Giants.
Next up is defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, who lands at No. 48.
"He was dominant last season after defensive line coach Andre Patterson and coordinator Wink Martindale decided to make him a nose tackle," Raanan wrote. "Centers can't guard him one-on-one. Hence the career high 7.5 sacks and his 28 quarterback hits (second among defensive linemen)."
Lawrence enjoyed a true breakout campaign last season on his way to being named Second-Team All-Pro. The fourth-year defensive lineman's sacks and quarterback hits shattered his previous high marks of 4.0 sacks and 11 QB hits.
He has also set new career-bests in total tackles (68), tackles for loss (seven), pass breakups (three) and forced fumbles (two), which led to his first selection to the Pro Bowl. Lawrence registered 70 total pressures, including the playoffs, and 42 defensive stops, according to PFF.
View photos of defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence's career with the Giants.
Then there's offensive tackle Andrew Thomas, whose breakout campaign last year led to him ranking No. 56 on ESPN's list.
"His pass block win rate has jumped dramatically every season, from 81.0% as a rookie to 92.6% in 2022 when he earned second-team All-Pro honors," the article stated. "Thomas has become a lockdown left tackle who will be protecting Daniel Jones for years to come now that he's under contract for the next seven seasons."
Originally the fourth overall selection by the Giants in the 2020 NFL Draft, Thomas has played 45 games (44 starts) over his first three years in the league. After boosting his game in 2021, Thomas took a significant step in his development this past season. The 24-year-old recorded just two penalties all year and allowed a mere three sacks and 21 total pressures on over 600 regular-season pass block snaps.
The 6-foot-5, 315-pound left tackle was named Second-Team All-Pro by the Associated Press after starting the first 16 games (he sat out the season finale along with most of the team's starters). In addition to not missing a single game due to injury, Thomas also played 100 percent of the team's offensive snaps in all but two contests.
View the best photos from the career of Giants All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas.
The last Giant on the list is outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, who enters his second season at No. 86.
"His rookie season started slowly with an injury and he finished with 4.0 sacks," said Raanan. "But the 2022 No. 5 pick still finished 16th among edge rushers with a 17.9% pass rush win rate. It's easy to see the sack number jumping significantly with him in better shape and with more experience in his second season."
After missing the first two games of his rookie campaign, Thibodeaux played the next 14 contests. The 6-foot-5, 258-pound linebacker totaled 49 tackles (33 solo), four sacks, six tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, five passes defensed and one defensive touchdown.
Thibodeaux ended the season strong as three of his four sacks came in the final five games of the regular season, which helped lead him to a fourth place finish in the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
The 22-year-old flashed his potential during the Giants' Week 15 win over the Washington Commanders, a game that Thibodeaux dominated. The former Oregon Duck finished with 12 tackles (nine solo), a sack, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble which he recovered and returned for a touchdown.
View the best photos of Giants outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux.
View photos of every move made by the Giants during the 2023 cycle.
Around the NFL
The Giants Foundation 5K & Kids Run
Register today and run with Giants Legends in The Giants Foundation 5K and Kids Run, Presented by Quest®