FOXBORO — This week’s matchup between Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito and a Patriots starting quarterback to be named Sunday certainly lacks the star power of previous Super Bowl games between the two teams, but it might feature one of the best and most unheralded players in the NFL.

Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who hasn’t practiced this week due to a hamstring injury, is the top-graded interior defender on PFF this season. The 6-foot-4, 342-pounder is the rare modern-day nose tackle who rarely comes off of the field, and there’s good reason for it.

“He’s a really good player,” head coach Bill Belichick said Friday. “He’s a major force, hard guy to block, big, athletic, blocks kicks. It’s hard to move him off the line of scrimmage, and when he penetrates, he can penetrate as well as any player in the league. He’s big and powerful and long. It’s pretty unique. I mean, we’ve faced a lot of good inside players, going back even to preseason – [Quay] Walker in Green Bay, you can go right down the line. Guys that we’ve seen or worked against, or whatever. This guy’s a major force.”

Lawrence ranks first on PFF among interior defenders with a 92.5 pass-rush grade and second with an 87.5 run-defense grade. He leads interior defenders with 53 total pressures, and he’s tied for fifth with 26 defensive stops. This is nothing new for Lawrence, who signed a four-year, $90 million contract extension this offseason after being just as dominant last year.

If he plays, Lawrence will provide perhaps the toughest test center David Andrews and guards Cole Strange and Sidy Sow have had to face all season. It will be a major boost if he doesn’t play.