Kayvon Thibodeaux: Leonard Williams likes what he's seeing from Oregon rookie with Giants
Unlike many other incoming players, first-round draft choices don’t have to worry about getting cut from a team during their first offseason. Instead, they’re expected to come in, work hard, keep their head down and earn the respect of the veterans on their respective teams.
According to the New York Giants’ veteran defensive lineman Leonard Williams, the Giants’ new first-round choice, Kayvon Thibodeaux has done exactly that.
“I’m liking what I’m seeing so far,” Williams said of Thibodeaux. “It’s small things where we have a few guys on defense giving the ones — or giving whoever a show look, and if they need an offensive lineman or something like that, he’s one of the first ones to run in there and give a look. I appreciate things like that from top picks because he knows that there’s still more that he has to give to the team. Just because he got drafted high doesn’t mean that he can’t help out.”
Despite concerns arising over his character ahead of the draft, Williams hasn’t seen any hit of that. Instead, Thibodeaux has come right in and wowed his new teammates with his work ethic and attitude.
“Meeting him in person, he’s a humble guy and he’s ready to work, and like I said, he’s one of the first people to go in there when we need a look and things like that,” Williams said. “I’m definitely impressed with those things.”
During his time at Oregon, Thibodeaux finished seventh in program history with 19 sacks. Seven came during his final season while playing in 11 games. He was a disruptor elsewhere in the backfield as well, totaling 123 tackles, 35.5 tackles for a loss, and three forced fumbles. One of the best of the past three years, Thibodeaux is now an early first-round draft pick.
The Giants will be hoping similar results come over the next few years. An elite pass rusher can change the dynamic of your franchise and New York Giants has now heavily invested in one.
For Williams, having someone like Thibodeaux getting pressure on the outside only makes his job easier as well.
“It’s going to be great for me inside and playing with guys like that that are going to make the quarterback step up, and if I’m playing in the middle and they’re doing their job, I’m going to make them roll out to them and vice versa,” Williams said. “We feed off of each other.”