New York Giants have got the man they have been chasing during recent weeks in defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux. The franchise used their 5th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to select him, with Thibodeaux being the only notable pass rusher left on the board. It was a smart move from the Giants, who were also the custodians of the No.7 pick in this season’s draft.
The Giants have been the only franchise, according to Thibodeaux, who was in constant contact with him until draft night. The former Oregon player is a polarizing figure, and his personality was an area of concern for the franchise.
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It was GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll’s caring attitude that settled him down when the time came around for the call.
.@michaelstrahan reached out to @kayvont on draft night 👀 pic.twitter.com/AXW7gJlEyp
— New York Giants (@Giants) April 29, 2022
Thibodeaux becomes the Giants GM Schoen’s first official draft selection after taking over the post for the first time. It was the amalgamation of the Giants’ hard work to recruit him over several weeks. He also received a special message from a famous Giants player Michael Strahan, who Thibodeaux considers a personal mentor.
Kayvon Thibodeaux looking to learn from the very best in Michael Strahan
The new boy has all the tools and the spotlight of the Big Apple, including the attention of an NFL Hall of Famer in Michael Strahan. Both Strahan and Thibodeaux share the same style of doing things and both have an outward flashy style of doing things. The rookie DE shares that Strahan provided him with a lot of wisdom and even vouched for him to the Giants.
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Thibodeaux is open in admitting he will grab the opportunity to decode how Strahan came into the league. While talking about his mentor, he states, “I knew he was gonna be my mentor before I even thought about the Giants. Life always comes full circle, that’s why I always tell you to manifest it believe in yourself, and have confidence.”
The former Oregon man recorded 19.0 career sacks in 31 games, with his 34.5 career tackles for loss ranking 5th-most among active Power 5 collegiate players.
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While the expectations for Thibodeaux will be high, it also brings a lot of pressure from the die-hard Giants fans, who want to see progress in this roster. He has self-belief in his abilities and believes his hunger to win will keep him going as the 2022 league campaign begins soon.
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