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Giants' Dennard Wilson wants more 'ODB' toughness from Darius Alexander
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- Giants' Dennard Wilson wants more 'ODB' toughness from Darius Alexander
New York Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson does not want Darius Alexander to settle for being a pass rusher. He wants the second-year defensive lineman to become something tougher, something nastier.
"He's growing, too. The big thing with him is being able to play the run and play it consistently," Wilson told reporters after practice on Tuesday. "We all know he can rush, but we want him to be an old, dirty bastard. A tough guy. All the time. And that should be on his mind first because if he does that, he can grow into a really good player."
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Alexander, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound third-round pick out of Toledo in 2025, has shown steady progress since arriving in New York. After a solid rookie season that included 20 tackles and 3.5 sacks, he has continued to impress through organized team activities (OTAs), minicamp and the early stages of training camp.
The Giants now see him as a candidate for a larger role this fall.
Wilson's message is clear. The production as a pass rusher is already there. What comes next is the willingness to dig in against the run and play with a consistent edge every snap. If Alexander can fully embrace that ODB approach in the trenches, the Giants believe a really good player is still waiting to emerge.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' Dennard Wilson wants more 'ODB' toughness from Darius Alexander
