What pre-draft scouting reports said about New York Giants DT Darius Alexander

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The New York Giants had just one pick on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL draft -- No. 65 overall, the first pick of the third round -- and used that to bolster their defensive line, selecting Darius Alexander out of Toledo.

Although Alexander needs time to develop, he could step into a key rotational role from the onset, taking some of the pressure off of superstar nose tackle Dexter Lawrence.

Here's a look at what the pre-draft scouting reports said about Alexander.

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com​

From Lance Zierlein:

Interior lineman with the size, length and physicality for consideration in odd or even fronts. Alexander is capable of destroying blocks, but he needs to do a better job of balancing his force to control the action at the point of attack. He can hold his ground when he’s staying low, but the pad level is inconsistent and causes his gap constriction to be hit-or-miss. Alexander has above-average rush acumen. He does a nice job of utilizing his traits and crafting a plan of attack. His best football could be ahead of him, but for now, he projects as an average rotational player or backup.

Dane Brugler, The Athletic​

From Dane Brugler:

A two-year starter at Toledo, Alexander played primarily the three-technique position in defensive coordinator Vince Kehres' hybrid front. The Rockets' coaches initially played him at offensive tackle his first year in the program before moving him to the defensive line. His development was more gradual than immediate in college, but he flashed high end ability over his final two seasons (led the team in pressures created in 2023 and 2024) and didn't disappoint under the microscope at Senior Bowl practices.

Alexander is rangy defending the run, with the body fluidity and length to displace blocks. He has shown an improved ability to feel the rhythm of blocks to work of contact but needs to streamline his pass rush with more consistent leverage and sequencing. Overall, Alexander isn't yet the full sum of his impressive parts, but his blend of power, length and athletic body control give him the makings of a three-down, scheme-versatile NFL starter. He projects best in an attacking role, where he'd be able to maximize his disruptive traits. His peak plays are reminiscent of Leonard Williams.

Matt Holder, Bleacher Report​

From Matt Holder:

Darius Alexander has the potential to become a solid every-down defensive tackle at the next level. He's an impressive run defender who can defeat one-on-one blocks with his strength at the point of attack and can stay in his gap against double teams. As a pass-rusher, he has a solid swim move and can collapse the pocket when bull rushing, he fires off the ball.

That's part of how Alexander proved himself against a higher level of competition and stood out at the Senior Bowl. However, he looked quicker and more agile in Mobile than during the season. He tested well at the NFL Combine with a 9.14 RAS, so he's a better athlete than what was seen during the 2024 campaign.

Schematically, the former Rocket would be best as a 3-technique in even fronts. While he has the potential to start in year one or two, teams could view him as a low-ceiling type of prospect, given his age. No date of birth has been confirmed, but Alexander was a sixth-year senior and in the 2019 recruiting class, which means he'll be a 24-year-old rookie.

Brentley Weissman, Pro Football Network​

From Brentley Weissman:

Alexander is from Fort Wayne, Ind., and played his high school football at Wayne High School. He committed to Toledo after a modest recruitment where he was a three-star recruit. He originally came to campus as an offensive tackle but made the switch to defensive tackle after his redshirt season as a freshman.

He was a key contributor to Toledo’s defense throughout his first two seasons but finally assumed a starting role as a junior. In his first season as a starter, Alexander was named third-team All-MAC for his efforts.

As a senior, Alexander was named CSN first-team All-MAC and established himself as a bona fide NFL prospect.

Nick Akridge, Pro Football Focus​

From Nick Akridge:

Alexander was a two-star recruit and received only two Division I offers, one of which was Toledo. He redshirted his first year and was a rotational lineman for the next four seasons before earning a full-time starting spot in 2023 and 2024. He brings ideal size at just under 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds with 34-inch arms. That build gives him the potential to play at 3-technique or 3-4 defensive end in the NFL for odd or even fronts.

Alexander is strong as an ox, resulting in elite PFF run-defense grades. He has a violent club move that he pairs with a rip or an arm-over to get into the backfield (14.0% pass-rush win rate). He can hold up well against double teams and forklift blockers onto their heels and into the pocket.

He could clean up some technical things, such as snap anticipation and maintaining leverage longer out of his stance. He also looks too top-heavy at times. He was one of the Senior Bowl’s standouts, showing a nice twitch as a pass-rusher.

Keith Sanchez, The Draft Network​

From Keith Sanchez:

First and foremost is Alexander’s run defense. Standing at a long 6-foot-4 and with the mass to complement, he is the ideal early-down 3-technique to anchor a team’s defensive line. His power—combined with his technique to anchor against double teams, two-gap, or penetrate—shows up frequently on film. Specifically, when looking at his work against double teams, whether he was asked to hold his ground or slingshot through and split them, he was an immovable force.

Where Alexander truly separates himself is as a two-gapper. He gets his feet in the ground quickly and uses his hands to drive through the chest of linemen off the snap. His leverage in the fit and ability to control opposing blockers is rare. The extension he creates makes it nearly impossible for interior linemen to get under him, which allows him to read the running back’s track and make a play on the ball.

As a pass rusher, however, Alexander leaves more to be desired. I can see what he’s capable of—similar to players like Jalen Carter, he’s at his best when given a two-way go and able to play across the face of opposing linemen. He’s strong as a quick, lateral mover, which allows him to cross-chop or, more commonly, use a swim move to defeat lunging linemen with low hands. But what I don’t see consistently from Alexander is a motor in the passing game. His profile—athletic ability and power—suggests he should be a more tenacious pass rusher and more disruptive on a regular basis.

This theme of taking plays off showed up too often for my liking, but what Alexander puts on tape speaks for itself. Despite my concerns about his play-to-play consistency, this is a player who will be the best version of himself in the NFL. With proper coaching to improve his ball-tracking instincts and to develop a more relentless pass-rush mentality, the rewards could be significant.

This is an early-round talent who has had a unique path to unlocking his potential. While he may be an older prospect, what Alexander has shown at the end of his career feels like the beginning of what could be a future star in this league—provided he lands in the right situation.

Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team​

From Kyle Crabbs:

Toledo Rockets defensive tackle Darius Alexander is a rocked-up, twitchy defender who boasts loads of potential in a variety of defensive schemes. Alexander has top-tier length and some flashes of strong gap control at the point of attack — he has the needed strength to live and play in any gap along the front.

As a pass rusher, Alexander has an explosive first step and surreal power at his disposal when he’s well-coiled and can unload into blockers with his power rushes. He leans on his heavy hands to jolt with counters or pull blockers off their base. He has consistency questions and would benefit from refinement of his block leveraging, disengagement skills, and pass rush plan to be a more constant threat to offenses, but his physical ability is that of an impact starter.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: What pre-draft scouting reports said about Giants DT Darius Alexander

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