May 8, 2015 New York Giants Rookie Mini-Camp Report

Tom Coughlin – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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MAY 8, 2015 NEW YORK GIANTS ROOKIE MINI-CAMP REPORT…
The first day of the New York Giants three-day rookie mini-camp began on Friday. Sixty-six players – draft picks, signed rookie free agents, first-year players who have not completed a season of credited service, and street and rookie free agent tryout players – were in attendance.

PARTICIPANTS…

2015 NFL Draft Picks (6):

• OL Ereck Flowers, University of Miami
• S Landon Collins, University of Alabama
• DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA
• FS Mykkele Thompson, University of Texas
• WR Geremy Davis, University of Connecticut
• OG Bobby Hart, Florida State University

2015 Signed Rookie Free Agents (6):

• HB Akeem Hunt, Purdue University
• TE Matt LaCosse, University of Illinois
• OT Sean Donnelly, Tulane University
• DE Brad Harrah, University of Cincinnati
• LB Cole Farrand, University of Maryland
• S Justin Currie, Western Michigan University

New York Giants First-Year Players (10):

• FB Nikita Whitlock
• TE Jerome Cunningham
• OC Brett Jones
• OT Michael Bamiro
• DE Jordan Stanton
• LB Uani Unga
• LB Ryan Jones
• CB Bennett Jackson
• S Thomas Gordon
• PK Chris Boswell

Tryout Players (44):

• QB Gary Nova, Rutgers
• QB Taylor Graham, Hawaii
• QB Pete Thomas, Louisiana-Monroe
• RB Reggie Whatley, Middle Tennessee St.
• RB Anthony Cade, Lindenwood
• RB Kenneth Harper, Temple
• WR Taylor Belsterling, Huntington (Ala.) College
• WR Lemar Durant, Simon Fraser University
• WR Ben Edwards, Richmond
• WR Derrick Johnson, Maine
• WR Chris Perkins, Middle Tennessee State
• WR Addison Richards, University of Regina
• WR Andrew Robustelli, Jacksonville
• TE Justin Jones, East Carolina
• TE Matt Marfisi, Tulane
• TE Will Tye, Stony Brook
• OC Sean McEwen, University of Calgary
• OG Sukh Chungh, University of Calgary
• OG Mario Rodriguez, Western Michigan
• OT Danny Groulx, Laval (Canada)
• OT Kevin Murphy, Harvard
• OT Jacob Ruby, Richmond
• OT Richard Washington, Morehouse
• DE Brad Bars, Penn State
• DE Chidera Uzo-Diribe, Colorado
• DT Donte Rumph, Kentucky
• DT Carlif Taylor, Southern Connecticut
• DT Rakeem Knight, Bethue-Cookman
• DT Daryl Waud, University of Western Ontario
• LB Brandon Golson, West Virginia
• LB Byron Archambault, University of Montreal
• LB Ron Omara, St. Francis Xavier
• LB Takari Johnson, Concordia-Ann Arbor
• CB Ian Williams, Fordham
• CB Marc Anthony, California
• CB Tevaughn Campbell, University of Regina (Saskatchewan)
• CB Qua Cox, Jackson State
• CB Willie Creear, Eastern Michigan
• CB Thomas Finnie, Bethune-Cookman
• CB Tyree Hollins, Grambling
• S Chris Ackie, Wilfred Laurier
• S C.J. Conway, Montclair State
• P Bobby Cowan, Idaho
• LS Luke Ingram, Hawaii

NEWLY SIGNED…
The New York Giants announced that they have officially signed DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa, their 3rd round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. S Mykkele Thompson (5th round) and OG Bobby Hart (7th round) signed on Thursday.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS…
Some snippets from various media sources:

• Bennett Jackson appears to have been moved from cornerback to safety. However, Tom Coughlin said Chykie Brown will remain at cornerback for now. The starting safeties were Landon Collins and Jackson. Collins spent time as the deep safety.

• “Tight end Jerome Cunningham, who spent time on the practice squad last year, had a busy day and hauled in a handful of catches.” (Giants.com)

• The starting offensive line was LT Ereck Flowers-LG Michael Bamiro-OC Brett Jones-RG Bobby Hart-RT Sean Donnelly. (Giants.com)

• “The first-round pick (Erick Flowers) is huge (6-6, 329) and carries his weight so incredibly well. He moves effortless for a player that size, and it’s obvious he’s on a different level athletically than the rest of the linemen.” (NJ.com)

• Multiple reports said DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa flashed very good first-step quickness.

• Rookie tryout player WR Andrew Robustelli is the grandson of New York Giants Hall of Fame DE Andy Robustelli.

• Rookie tryout player QB Taylor Graham is the son of former New York Giants quarterback Kent Graham.

• Former New York Giants RB Brandon Jacobs and S Deon Grant were on hand to watch practice.

• Sights and Sounds Giants.com Video

VICTOR CRUZ SIGHTING…
While he did not practice, WR Victor Cruz was spotted by the media rehabbing the torn patellar tendon in his right knee. “I just watched Victor Cruz go through a vigorous indoor workout, with lots of stopping and cutting. Impressive,” tweeted The New York Post.

I just watched Victor Cruz go through a vigorous indoor workout, with lots of stopping and cutting. Impressive. Good news for the Giants.

— Bart Hubbuch (@BartHubbuch) May 8, 2015

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
Tom Coughlin addressed the media after the morning practice (video is available at Giants.com). Some points of note:

• On why he likes OT Ereck Flowers: “His athleticism. His ability to run, to pull, to run, his pass protection and the fact he is a big man that (defenders) are going to have to navigate a lot to get around him. Strong.”

• On S Landon Collins: “Basically a guy who, as I saw today, went back to what I really do believe and that is that he can play in the middle of the field. He can play in the deep half as well as come down and be a physical force in the tackle box.”

• On why the coaches have been informing the new players about the history of the New York Giants defense: “The tradition. The passion. The Giant tradition. The great defenses that have been played here in the past. The idea that we have to get back to that.”

WATCH: #Giants Coach Tom Coughlin recaps Day 1 of Rookie Mini-Camp http://t.co/5cezj79PMK

— New York Giants (@Giants) May 8, 2015

PLAYERS SPEAK…
The following video clips of player media Q&As are available at Giants.com:

• OC Brett Jones (Video)
• S Landon Collins (Video)
• DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa (Video)
• S Mykkele Thompson (Video)
• WR Geremy Davis (Video)
• OG Bobby Hart (Video)
• QB Gary Nova (Video)
• WR Andrew Robustelli (Video)

• DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa on coming to the Giants (from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3 defense): “Yeah, anytime you are in a ‘43’ system and your linemen are asked to attack up field and wreak havoc it is always exciting. I feel like my skill set is definitely fitting for that type of defense, so I am excited about it. I think it is going to be great for me and I am going to bring a lot to the defense. Working hard every day and staying versatile and staying coachable.”

• S Bennett Jackson on converting to safety: “At the end of the day, I am a (defensive back). I think my strengths are my cover skills. I have good speed and great ball skills. The thing that it is going to take for me to get out there and make an impact is I have to learn the defense and communicate the calls fluently. That is really the main thing with learning a new defense, you just have to be accountable and allow people to trust that you are going to be out there and get the job done.”

RELATED ARTICLES…

• The Ereck Flowers scouting report, courtesy Chris Snee by Paul Schwartz of The New York Post
• Steve Spagnuolo pushes Giants’ defense down memory lane with pop quizzes by Dan Graziano of ESPN.com
• Former Giants QB Kent Graham’s son joins Rookie Tryouts by Michael Eisen of Giants.com
• Grandson of Giants Hall of Famer Andy Robustelli among Rookie Tryouts by Michael Eisen of Giants.com

OL drills

A video posted by Patricia Traina (@patricia_traina) on May 8, 2015 at 9:00am PDT