As the New York Giants approach their preseason opener against the New England Patriots on Thursday, the hype surrounding rookie edge defender Kayvon Thibodeaux is swelling.
The No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft is having a strong training camp, and his Giants teammates are taking notice. Center Jon Feliciano, for example, recently compared Thibodeaux to six-time Pro Bowler and 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack.
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“[Thibodeaux] has a little bit of Khalil Mack in him as he can hit his best moves low in full speed, which is really unique to do,” said Feliciano (via the New York Post), who was teammates with Mack in Oakland from 2015-17.
Thibodeaux (2022) and Mack (2014) were both drafted fifth overall. Here’s how they stack up in some other key categories:
| Kayvon Thibodeaux | Khalil Mack | |
| 6’5″ | Height | 6’3″ |
| 258 lbs. | Weight | 269 lbs. |
| 33.13″ | Arm Length | 33.25″ |
| 9.75″ | Hand Size | 10.25″ |
| 79.5″ | Wingspan | 81.2″ |
| 4.58 sec. | 40-Yard Dash | 4.65 sec. |
| 27 reps | Bench Press (225 lbs.) | 23 reps |
(Measurements via NFLCombineResults.com.)
Thibodeaux has a much different body type than Mack, but he is the faster and stronger player just based on NFL Combine measurements. Rushing the passer is all about technique, though, and Mack is one of the best pass-rush technicians in the game.
One of Mack’s most dominant pass-rush moves is his long arm, which keeps the offensive lineman away from his pads/body as he drives toward the quarterback. Below is an example of Mack using that move on former Giants tackle Nate Solder.
That Khalil Mack long arm 😍
Just ridiculous.
Like Mack, Thibodeaux uses his hands and arms well while rushing the passer. He got the best of fellow first-round rookie Evan Neal on the rep below by using a bull rush move, then pulling and ripping around him to the outside.
Kayvon Thibodeaux is going to be an absolute PROBLEM off the edge as a rookie 🔥
Mack, who was traded to the Los Angeles Chargers this offseason, has 76.5 career sacks in eight NFL seasons with the Raiders and Chicago Bears. In addition to his Defensive POTY award, Mack also has three first-team All-Pro bids to his name (2015, 2016 and 2018).
Thibodeaux has a long way to go until he’s on that level, but the early comparison to Mack bodes well for his NFL future.
Evan Neal Weighs in on His Battles With Kayvon Thibodeaux
Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal became teammates this spring, but they’ve known each other well since high school.
Neal spoke about their battles during a press conference in late July, via Talkin’ Giants on Twitter:
Evan Neal on facing Kayvon Thibodeaux
“Iron sharpens iron”
“It’s crazy that through high school and through recruitment, like every major camp, that was the matchup that everybody wanted to see — me versus Kayvon,” Neal said. “It’s just so ironic that we end up on the same NFL team. So, I’m just excited to go up against him every day, get each other better, and I believe iron sharpens iron.”
Thibodeaux may be able to get around Neal from time to time, but beating New York’s other starting tackle in one-on-one drills is a different story.
Andrew Thomas Looks Dominant at Giants Training Camp
The New York Post story that delivered the Khalil Mack comparison described Thibodeaux as “virtually unblockable.” Well, try telling that to Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas.
Just about every Thomas vs. Thibodeaux rep from training camp has looked like this:
Andrew Thomas v. Kayvon Thibodeaux
I like it a lot
Thibodeaux may have a bright future ahead of him, but Thomas appears to be approaching his peak in Year 3.
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Kayvon Thibodeaux Compared to Former NFL Defensive POTY by Giants Teammate