The first round of the 2022 NFL Daft was historic for many reasons.
For starters, it was the first time the Giants held two picks in the top seven in the 87-year history of the annual player selection meeting. On top of that, they were one of nine teams with multiple first-round picks, which broke the previous record of six (four times, most recently in 2020).
The nine offensive linemen taken in Round 1 were also tied for the second-most in the common draft era, trailing the 10 that were selected in 1968. The Giants contributed to that ledger by taking Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal seventh overall, two picks after they selected Oregon edge defender Kayvon Thibodeaux.
They will be the foundational pieces in a new era of Giants football under general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brain Daboll. Here are 10 things to know about the new player duo:
1. Thibodeaux, 6-5 and 258 pounds, was the highest-rated signee in Oregon history. The USA Today High School Defensive Player of the Year was the No. 1 recruit in the 2019 class coming out of Los Angeles’ Oaks Christian High School. He went on to finish tied for seventh in Ducks history with 19.0 career sacks in 31 games (second in Pac-12 from 2019-21)
2. Neal, 6-7 and 350 pounds, is the fifth offensive tackle over the last 15 draft classes with plus-90-90-80 Next Gen Stats overall, production, and athleticism scores.
3. Thibodeaux was the first Oregon defensive lineman to earn All-America honors since DeForest Buckner in 2015. Bucker was drafted seventh overall in 2015 and has been named to the Pro Bowl twice in addition to first-team All-Pro.
4. The Giants plan to slot Neal in at right tackle, playing opposite left tackle Andrew Thomas, the fourth overall pick in the 2020 draft. Neal missed only one game in his Alabama career due to COVID protocols.
5. Thibodeaux lived up to his recruiting hype and set the Oregon freshman record with a team-high 9.0 sacks in 2019 (most by a Pac-12 freshman since Nick Perry of USC in 2009)….