Top Five Draft Options for the NY Giants at Defensive Tackle

Can the NY Giants find interior defensive line help in the 2026 NFL Draft?

Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Gracen Halton (56) and Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Taylor Wein (44) celebrate during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Missouri Tigers at Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. Oklahoma won 17-6. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Giants have an elite nose tackle in Dexter Lawrence II and used their third-round pick in 2025 on Darius Alexander, but still need help at both defensive tackle spots.

DJ Davidson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who played the fourth and fifth-most snaps on the interior for the Giants, are both free agents who have still not yet been re-signed, and likely won't be.

That leaves the Giants needing to replace significant snaps on the defensive line. That’s why today, we’re looking at the defensive tackle spot next to Lawrence.

Caleb Banks, Florida

2025 stats: 6 total tackles, 1 TFL, 0 sacks, 3 pressures

Jan 29, 2026; Mobile, AL, USA; American defensive tackle Caleb Banks (88) of Florida works in a drill during American Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

There won’t be less impressive stats in this article than what Caleb Banks did in 2025. That’s because he played in just three games while dealing with a foot injury.

Banks missed the first few games of the season with the injury before getting hurt in his first game back against LSU. After getting surgery, he would return for the final two games of the season.

In 2024, Banks had dominant stretches en route to 29 pressures and 13 stops for a gain of three or less.

Medicals will be important for Banks, who had surgery on his foot last week, after a Top 30 visit during which a fracture was discovered.

The Giants could benefit from being the team willing to take a shot on Banks early in the second round if he falls because of the injury history.

When he’s healthy, Banks has been a force as a pass-rusher, but he will need technical refinement, as he won't be able to bully offensive linemen in the NFL as he did in college.

Gracen Halton, Oklahoma

2025 stats: 33 total tackles, 7 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, 30 pressures

Nov 22, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Gracen Halton (56) reacts during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

I introduce you to my favorite prospect to watch of this bunch, Gracen Halton out of Oklahoma.

Halton doesn’t have elite size, with a 36th percentile height, 19th percentile weight, and fourth percentile arm length, but he’s an explosive penetrator on the interior of the line.

In a defense that should allow defensive linemen to attack in more creative ways with stunts, Halton is an excellent fit who can slip through gaps and stress offenses.

He lacks the power to be a full-time high-level starter, but with his acceleration and ability to get skinny between linemen, he’s got high upside as a pass-rusher.

Pairing Halton with Lawrence doesn’t solve the run defense issues you have, but they do give you a much more threatening pass rush in passing situations, without making you worse at run defense.

Rayshaun Benny, Michigan

2025 stats: 35 total tackles, 3 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, 18 pressures

Michigan defensive lineman Rayshaun Benny (26) gets ready for a play against Central Michigan during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rayshaun Benny is an interesting “tweener” type, but not necessarily where he lined up, more so how he slots in at the next level.

Benny, while playing under former Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, was used as a 2- and 3-technique tasked with two-gapping.

He’s got the strength, anchor, and hand ability to fight through blockers and double teams, but hasn’t really shown the ability to penetrate consistently against quality offensive linemen.

Benny could be an early day three pick that plays a role to help a Giants run defense that was nothing short of awful in 2025, while providing minor pass-rush help against lesser offensive lines.

Tyler Onyedim, Texas A&M

2025 stats: 48 total tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, 17 pressures

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim (11) celebrates during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Tyler Onyedim was a significant contributor to Iowa State’s 3-3 stack defense as a defensive end who was often left in double-team situations.

He then transferred to Texas A&M to play more of a true 3-technique role and thrived as a complementary piece to a dominant pass-rush.

17 pressures in 2025 isn’t going to “wow” anyone, but that was on a defensive line with two dominant pass-rushing edge rushers.

Onyedim’s ability to play 3-tech or strong-side defensive end, with the athleticism and skill set to legitimately impact the game as a pass-rusher and set the edge, makes him a legit value on day three.

Zane Durant, Penn State

2025 stats: 25 total tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 4 sacks, 19 pressures

Dec 21, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive tackle Zane Durant (28) reacts after a defensive stop during the second half against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Beaver Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Twitch and an explosive, disruptive style are the best ways to describe Zane Durant’s game on the interior.

He’s a day three pick that provides value as a pass-rusher and not much else, but he’s got “pop” potential in that role.

With how quick Durant is off the ball, he’s a handful for many guards and centers to handle when given one-on-one opportunities.

Lucky for him, he would be on a defensive line with Lawrence, Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux - meaning that he should almost never see anything more than a one-on-one.

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