Well, how’s that for a comparison?
A former New York Giants great has given his blessing on the team’s top draft pick in one of the best possible ways. Osi Umenyiora, who won two Super Bowls in his 10 years with Big Blue had some intriguing comments on this year’s top Giants pick Kayvon Thibodeaux. Speaking to the NY Post, Umenyiora first admitted Thibodeaux wasn’t a good comparison to other defensive greats of his time with the team, saying “He wouldn’t be anything like JPP [Jason Pierre-Paul], he doesn’t remind me of Kiwi [Mathias Kiwanuka], doesn’t remind me of [Justin] Tuck, doesn’t remind me of [Michael] Strahan, actually,’’
Umenyiora then made his comparison, stating, “The way he plays, the way he rushes the passer I think you would say he has a very similar game and a very similar skill set to what I did, for sure. I like him as a player, I do,’’ further adding, “Very dynamic football player. He’s strong against the run, which for a college pass rusher of his caliber, you don’t really see that. Strong, quick first step, good bend around the edge, good pass-rush moves, good speed, good motor.”
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The Giants drafted Umenyiora out of Troy in 2003. He went on to make two Pro Bowls, a first-team All-Pro, and the aforementioned two Super Bowl titles. He led the league in forced fumbles in 2010, compiling 85 career sacks and 450 career tackles. Umenyiora was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2015.
Thibodeaux, of course, comes with much more fanfare as a top-five draft pick. While the comparison to Umenyiora will bring nostalgia to Giants fans, Thibodeaux has drawn even grander comparisons to current great Von Miller. A career falling somewhere in between Umenyiora’s and Miller’s will surely be a successful one for the Oregon product, but he will have to manage the early hype in order to succeed.
Thibodeaux Already Forming Bond With Hall of Famer
Following Thibodeaux’s selection by the Giants in last month’s NFL Draft, some promising news quickly emerged. Michael Strahan, the all-time Giants great and Pro Football Hall of Famer has already been forming a bond with Thibodeaux, something that will seemingly grow now that he’s arrived at Strahan’s former team. The 21-year-old went as far as calling Strahan one of his “mentors” throughout the draft process. Thibodeaux, who was seen as a concern prior to the draft will have a strong example with Strahan on work ethic and discipline.
Thibodeaux Number Saga Continues
The New York Giants have assigned all their rookies their numbers heading into the 2022 season, except for their top pick. Kayvon Thibodeaux appears listed without a number on the team’s website as he seeks his number 5, currently held by Graham Gano. Gano recently tweeted a picture of the two in conversation, poking fun at the supposed issues between the two over the rights to the number. Thibodeaux recently stated Gano was charging him $250 thousand for the number, a steep price for the rookie to pay.
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Two-Time Super Bowl Champion Sees Himself In Giants’ Top Pick