If Lawrence is moved, the Giants will face a need to replace a disruptive interior presence, as the run defense and overall depth would suffer without him. The team has yet to add any major interior DL reinforcements through free agency or the draft.
Looking ahead, New York appears to be eyeing the 2026 NFL Draft for a long-term replacement, and one option is a nose tackle who could step in early. The team recently hosted a notable prospect on a Top 30 pre-draft visit: Texas Tech defensive lineman Lee Hunter.
Hunter, a 6-foot-4, 330-pound tackle, was part of Texas Tech’s stout front and posted 25 pressures, four QB hits, 19 hurries, and two sacks in 2025. PFF ranks him as the 39th-highest graded interior defensive lineman among 887 qualified players, suggesting he has the traits to anchor the middle.
The in-house options for depth at defensive tackle include veteran Sam Roberts, who is primarily a rotational piece, and recent visits by Shelby Harris and D.J. Reader. Rookie Darius Alexander showed promise with 3.5 sacks and four TFLs but graded as the 121st-best DT by PFF, complicating Week 1 expectations if Lawrence leaves. Roy Robertson-Harris is under contract but did not stand out last season.
With a high-stakes decision on Lawrence looming, the Giants need to bolster the interior with both veteran presence and future projection. Hunter is among the attractive draft-day options, but Caleb Banks of Florida and Kayden McDonald of Ohio State are also projected as big-bodied interior linemen who could be available at No. 37.
In short, the Giants must plan for life after Dexter Lawrence by strengthening the defensive tackle group through free-agent signings and a strategic draft approach, including a potential replacement such as a high-upside nose tackle from the 2026 class. The ongoing situation underscores the urgency of adding depth for a position that will determine the defense’s ceiling.
