The New York Giants selected prized rookie DT Darius Alexander in the third round of this year’s NFL Draft. The Toledo product was expected to go much earlier in most draft projections but landed in Big Blue’s lap for the taking with the No. 65 overall pick.
Alexander is training hard this offseason alongside fellow Giants DTs Dexter Lawrence and Jordon Riley. The three Giants have been working with renowned private defensive line coach Mark Hall (@markhall___enterprises on Instagram).
Giants rookie DT Darius Alexander receives glowing review from renowned private defensive line coach Mark Hall
I recently interviewed Mark Hall on Fireside Giants to gain some insight on the training he is doing with the Giants’ defensive linemen. He shared some valuable insight on Alexander as the rookie trains in preparation for the start of his NFL career.
“He’s been with us the last two weeks,” Hall confirmed. “My first impression on him is he has the height, long arms, he has the body, he just needs to keep filling out. He’s strong as heck. He can run, got good footwork.
“His thing is just more of getting into the pro level of how he wants to line up, what’s being thrown at him, the D-line IQ side, getting the hand off the ground faster, getting to the linemen. No wasted movement, staying on your angle. So all the things that you learn just at a higher level and be able to do things more consistent.”
As with all rookies, Alexander has plenty to learn as he prepares to enter the next level of football. But that’s where Hall’s training comes into play.
Hall has been privately training defensive linemen since 2005, working with many of the NFL’s top talents over the course of the last two decades. He has been working with Lawrence for the last four years. Alexander is the latest young stud to come under Hall’s tutelage.
Alexander’s power has been overwhelming at Hall’s camp
Hall explained that Alexander’s strength and power have been noticeable throughout the first two weeks of his defensive line camp.
“One thing he has, man, he has some very strong hands,” Hall said. “I mean, I got a couple of people here with me helping me out, man, and he is beating them up, period. When he grabs you, you’re gonna go somewhere. If we can get him to get his hips behind those hands and be able to take control of the tempo…”
At the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, Alexander put up an impressive 28 bench reps. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein gave him a Round 2 draft projection, describing the Toledo product as a defensive lineman who “batters blocker with heavy hands and long arms.”
Hall is confident that Alexander will be an impactful player for the Giants
The Giants are hoping that Alexander can help improve their depth in the trenches. Their defensive line is headlined by some top-end talents, such as Lawrence, and their edge-rushing trio of Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and now Abdul Carter. However, bolstering the depth was an area of priority this offseason.
Alexander should help improve the depth of the interior defensive line immediately. However, there is a path for him to earn a starting role in the Giants’ defense. Hall gave the Giants’ rookie a glowing review, indicating that he has the potential to be a special player for New York.
“He’s gonna do some good things for you guys,” Hall said. “Looking at him, I like the way he’s worked. He’s a hard worker, he’s in good shape. Some guys coming out of college are not in the best shape. He’s in really good shape. Super strong, like I said, he can bend. We just wanna get him more flexible in his hips and we want more foot fire of him going vertical to the linemen.
“But I think Darius is gonna be a really good player for you guys, especially watching him on tape with Toledo, man. I saw some good things jumping at me, he’s definitely a player. So we will get him where he wants to be.”
CHECK OUT THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH MARK HALL ON THE FIRESIDE GIANTS YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
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