The second day of the Giants’ minicamp was a good one for cornerback Eli Apple, the rookie first-round pick from Ohio State.
He made several plays and afterward stated, “I think today was a pretty solid day on my part.”
Indeed.
Apple leaped to knock away a floating Eli Manning pass intended for rookie Roger Lewis. He deftly broke up a pass intended for Myles White in a 7-on-7 drill. And he attracted plenty of attention for a successful pass defense of Odell Beckham Jr. at the goal line.
“I tried to get my hand on a lot of balls, competing out there,” Apple said. “I got a lot of reps with the ones, for sure. It was fun being out there with the ones.”
This was the most work Apple has received with the starting defense all spring, subbing several plays for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Mostly, Apple was lined up on the outside, but his quickest pathway to the field in the regular season likely will hinge on how adept he becomes in playing in the slot as the nickel corner, a spot he did not play in college.
“Well, it’s definitely a different role,” Apple said. “I think I’m adjusting to it well. [I’m] trying to learn as much as possible, put myself in uncomfortable situations on the field just so I can get better. You have to communicate a lot more. It’s kind of like being a linebacker, really. You’re in the middle of everything, and you got to communicate and know where your leverage is, know where your help is.”
As far as his development since the draft, Apple said, “I definitely feel like a different player.”
Special teams coordinator Tom Quinn was not exactly glowing in his assessment of second-year WR Geremy Davis’ work on special teams.
“It is just that he is very raw,” Quinn said. “He has never done it before, so having never done it, he needs as many reps as he can get so that he can become proficient.”
Rookie RB Paul Perkins, a late arrival this spring because classes were not yet completed at UCLA, said he is preparing to learn the full load despite his absence from the OTAs.
“I think I am going to take the whole enchilada,” Perkins said. “The guys are — Rashad [Jennings] and Shane and Andre [Williams], those guys have really helped me get acclimated to the system and have really taken me under their wing.”
Offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan said he and coach Ben McAdoo both have called plays in practice and no decision has been made as far as who will call the plays during the season. … S Nat Berhe and DT Jay Bromley did not practice. … A rare trick-play sighting: RB Shane Vereen tossed a halfback pass to rookie TE Ryan Malleck. … TE Larry Donnell beat CB Janoris Jenkins deep down the left sideline for a catch-and-run that put the starting offense in field-goal range in the two-minute drill.