NY Giants' Inside Linebackers Fall in Middle of the Pack in New Ranking

Despite the questions swirling around the quarterback room and the excitement that second-year wide receiver Malik Nabers inspires from the fan base, a fierce-looking defense is arguably the main attraction on the 2025 New York Giants.

Specifically, a stout defensive line led by Dexter Lawrence II, Brian Burns, and rookie Abdul Carter is drawing substantial praise from Pro Football Focus, which ranked the unit third-best in the entire NFL, reinforcing the expectation that a relentless pass rush will define this squad.

But how does the media feel about the more under-the-radar members of this highly intriguing front-seven?

In a word, mixed. When ranking the league's linebackers units, PFF's Dalton Wasserman slotted the Giants' group at No. 19, pointing to the struggles Micah McFadden had in coverage and an average 61.0 run defense grade, while also acknowledging Bobby Okereke’s 81.3 overall grade over the past two seasons that put him 10th among qualified linebackers.

This analysis effectively breaks down what the Giants are working with at this spot on the field. While there is certainly room for improvement, this duo has proven itself to be competent at various times.

And Wasserman himself acknowledges that Okerekee and McFadden should be even more effective, given the talent added up front.

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Are Okereke and McFadden better than they’re getting credit for?

A lackluster and injury-ridden 2024 season understandably fogs fans' memories, but Okereke was delightfully versatile and impactful during his first year with the Giants. He forced turnovers, adequately performed damage control duties when the first line of defense wobbled, and excelled in coverage.

The 28-year-old struggled at the start of last season with the new defensive scheme introduced by Shane Bowen, one that was significantly different from what former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale had run. Eventually, Okereke became more comfortable, logging two double-digit tackle games in his final five games before his back injury ended his season early.

Okereke also finished with three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two sacks, six tackles for loss, and an acceptable 74.9 defensive grade, and fell short of recording his fourth straight 100+ tackle season by seven.

McFadden is coming off his best NFL season. The 2022 fifth-round draft pick led the Giants with 107 tackles, 60 of which were solo efforts, and finished with a career-high three sacks. Over the last three seasons, he also has 26 tackles for loss, eight coming in 2024.

McFadden is entering the final year of his rookie contract, which means he should have no issue finding extra motivation. That added sense of urgency, coupled with his improved pass-rushing skills, could enable him to storm into free agency with great momentum.

If there is one area where both Okereke and McFadden can improve, it’s in the missed tackle department.

The two teammates combined for 27 missed tackles last year, McFadden with a team-leading 16, which put him 19th among 53 qualifying linebackers (minimum of 630 snaps), and Okereke with 11, tying him for third-most on the Giants, and tying him for 35th among the same sample group, but the total representing one less missed tackle in 12 games than he had in 17 the year prior with the Giants.

So while it might be fair to say that McFadden and Okereke aren’t a top-10 inside linebacker unit, we probably would have ranked them just a little higher toward the top half of the league based on their overall production.

Are Okereke and McFadden better than they’re getting credit for?

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