Corey Ballentine

New York Giants Practice Report, 8/5: The Final Practice Before Preseason

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New York Giants, Jabrill Peppers

The New York Giants held their last practice yesterday before their first preseason game of the 2019 NFL season. Big Blue will kick-off their 2019 pre-season facing Gang Green in a mini MetLife Bowl.

Players Who Stood Out:

Cody Latimer was able to get open on every level of the field yesterday. His best catches came against Janoris Jenkins. Latimer has been Jenkins’s best competition so far in camp.

DeAndre Baker gets fooled by Tate underneath once in a while but he continued to shut Tate down deep down the field. When Eli rarely tests DeAndre by throwing to Tate down the field, Baker usually gets a hand on the pass. He hasn’t offered much separation to receivers regardless of who it is. Don’t be surprised if he’s the best cornerback on the team heading into October.

Janoris Jenkins gave up some plays today but he was right there for the most part. The New York Giants will have two reliable outside cornerbacks that can play man to man coverage leaving room for creativity on defense.

Corey Ballentine might be a third cornerback who can play man to man on the outside and do it well. He’s a long and rangy cornerback who has made the most of his chances so far. He took some first-team reps and had another active practice like he always does. He also gave up some plays and usually does but he doesn’t look like a 6th round rookie.

Kareem Martin had a good practice but that might’ve had something to do with yesterday being a heavy blitzing day. He overwhelmed Nate Solder at times. If Oshane Ximines isn’t quite ready to play the team might be relying on Martin for some pass rush this year.

The entire defensive line including RJ McIntosh looked great. Until the team can play against some real competition we won’t know if the offensive line remains an issue or if these guys are just really good.

Eli Manning threw a real beauty yesterday deep to Cody Latimer. Daniel Jones has had a really good camp for a rookie but so far there isn’t a reason to talk about a quarterback competition. Eli has handled his business for the most part and is having his best training camp in years. Whether the situation continues this way into the season remains to be seen.

Camp Battles:

Ryan Connelly is getting reps with the first-team and got free for a would-be sack on Manning. He might be in line for significant playing time in 2019 if he continues to progress.

Corey Ballentine forced himself onto the first-team defense with great play and battled well, defending passes from Manning. He’s looking like a day 3 gem from the NFL Draft.

Kareem Martin isn’t going down easy as he’s been in line for a reserve/special teams role with the New York Giants. Yesterday he got the best of Nate Solder and would’ve had at least a couple sacks.

T.J. Jones has looked like one of the better reserve wide receivers and caught a touchdown against Corey Ballentine. He could end up being one of the backend receivers on this team after joining after the start of training camp.

Final Thoughts:

After the New York Giants’ last practice of the week, it remains fair to say the offensive line looks somewhat concerning. The line looks slightly better compared to last year but slightly isn’t good enough. There’s a possibility any offensive line would struggle against this defense. We will begin to get an answer when they take on the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Thursday, August 8th.

New York Giants: Veteran duo can make secondary great again

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New York Giants, Janoris Jenkins

After years of neglect towards the free safety position and no real consistency with the cornerbacks, the New York Giants are finally in a place to develop a young core of talent.

Drafting DeAndre Baker, Julian Love, Corey Ballantine, and trading for Jabrill Peppers will immediately give the unit a boost in 2019. Last season, the Giants’ defense allowed 371.4 yards per game, good enough for the 24th best in the NFL. Their lack of effectiveness against opposing offenses passing attacks was a primary reason for their failure.

Collecting just five wins after a complete rebuild is justifiable, but general manager Dave Gettleman laid down the hammer in the secondary this offseason, allocating plenty of resources towards its hopeful transcendence into stardom.

Maybe stardom is too optimistic, but rather serviceability is the better descriptive word. Baker has looked solid during training camp so far, and Love has competed valiantly at the slot-corner spot alongside Grant Haley. The Giants may look to transition him to the free safety position where Antoine Bethea can develop his skill-set.

Both Bethea and Janoris Jenkins will both play an essential role in the success of the team this upcoming season. The veteran corner has taken on a leadership role despite never really emerging as a voice in the locker room.

Newly signed receiver Golden Tate recalled a moment where Jenkins displayed his care for the younger players, according to the New York Post:

“One of the receivers made a play, and before the receiver and the DB could even get up, Janoris was jogging over to the DB to give him a tip,’’ Tate said Friday. “I didn’t hear the tip, but Janoris was kind of in his ear very calmly and letting him know, ‘Hey, this is what you can do next time.’ ’’

The Giants have established a newfound culture that is centered around veteran leadership and the ability to come together when the going gets tough. The team must be capable of weathering the storm, especially with so many young pieces on the side.

The defense will rely heavily on Jenkins and Bethea to step up and take the lead, as the 2019 season can either be a success, or a travesty.

New York Giants: Rookie Corey Ballentine Impressing During Camp

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The New York Giants‘ secondary has been one of the league’s worst over the past two years. In 2017, the Giants’ secondary allowed 252.4 passing yards per game (ranked 31st in the NFL). In 2018, the Giants’ secondary allowed 252.8 passing yards (ranked 23rd in the NFL), showing minimal to no improvement.

For this reason, the Giants made it a point of emphasis to fix the secondary in 2019. The Giants did just that in the 2019 NFL Draft. New York drafted three defensive backs in the 2019 NFL Draft (four if counting Sam Beal).

In the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected underrated cornerback prospect Corey Ballentine. Ballentine played at a small school (Washburn) so he slipped through the cracks. Fortunately, he fell to the Giants in round six. So far, Corey has looked like a steal for New York.

Training Camp Highlights

Corey Ballentine has shown up to play in training camp. The sixth-round rookie out of Washburn is turning heads already. Head coach Pat Shurmur took the time to praise the rookie post-practice on Tuesday:

Corey Ballentine is getting better with each and every practice. On Tuesday, Ballentine came away with an interception against rookie quarterback Daniel Jones. This is his highlight of camp so far. Daniel Jones had not thrown an interception all of training camp until this play:

This was not Ballentine’s first interception of training camp either. On Saturday, the Giants’ first padded practice of the summer, Ballentine came away with an interception against Kyle Lauletta. Giants.com named Corey one of Saturday’s standouts.

Corey Ballentine is very physical at the line of scrimmage and smooth in coverage. He was an outstanding player during his time at Washburn. In college, Corey Ballentine appeared in 46 games tallying 186 tackles with 113 solo stops and 10 tackles for loss adding the four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and had five interceptions.

The Giants have seen a solid amount of production so far from Corey Ballentine, considering he was a sixth-round draft pick. If the rookie can carry on his great play from training camp into the regular season, New York will see even more young talent make an impact in their rebuilt secondary.

Breaking down the New York Giants rookies for training camp

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New York Giants rookie quarterback, Daniel Jones during voluntary OTAs.

The New York Giants have wrapped up their summer vacation, and we know what that means — football is nearly back!

With two weeks remaining until preseason and seven until the first regular-season game, it’s officially football season. It has been one long and boring offseason without the constant Odell Beckham Jr. drama to keep us occupied. That was about the only good thing that came from his media coverage.

Nonetheless–

Here are your New York Giants 2019 rookies:

(QB) Daniel Jones — The reality for Jones is simple. He’s expected to sit quietly behind Eli Manning and soak up as much knowledge as possible about preparation and the offensive scheme before eventually taking over. He could succeed Manning as soon as this year, or it could be in 2021, nobody really knows. The preseason, however, will give us our first look into his capabilities and what he’s learned so far this offseason. Our opinions will start to take form in just a couple of weeks.

(CB) DeAndre Baker — The Giants traded back up into the top of the first round to select Baker, a player whos tenacity at the cornerback position will make him a solid sidekick to Janoris Jenkins. He will hit some rookie speedbumps, but thus far, he’s looked fantastic on non-contact coverage drills. He has the ability to be the Giants’ best corner with some experience and likely take over for Jenkins in the future.

(DL) Dexter Lawrence — One of the more interesting picks by the Giants this year, Clemson standout Dexter Lawrence is a massive presence in the middle of the defense. Not only is he expected to help the run game, but he’s also capable of being a capable pass rusher. At his size, opposing offensive lineman will have their hands full, and if he can develop a pass rush, GM Dave Gettleman will look like a genius.

(OLB/DE) Oshane Ximines — The Giants’ third-round selection is expected to sign his rookie deal upon the start of camp, and it’s going to be an important one for him. The Giants think highly of him and his surprisingly developed pass-rush moves despite coming from a small school (Old Dominion). Ximines could very well earn starting time, but he’s a player that will need a few months to adapt to the speed and strength of the NFL. He’s worth keeping an eye on this training camp period.

(CB) Julian Love — When Love was still on the board in the fourth round, Gettleman made sure to select this feisty corner. Projected as a slot option who will compete with Grant Haley, Love is an exciting draft pick that has the quality to start on an every game basis. His position battle with Haley will be one of the better ones.

(ILB) Ryan Connelly — A four-year player at Wisconsin, Connelly is an interesting prospect. While his physical traits don’t stand out, he’s incredibly quick and instinctive. His confidence shows in his ability to shoot the gap with amazing speed and accuracy. He will need to work on his tackling at the next level, but he could find a way into the defense in specific packages. Expect him to be a special teams player for the time being.

(WR) Darius Slayton — Emerging as one of just two players to earn first-team reps during mini-camp, Slayton improved significantly over the course of the offseason. To start, he couldn’t hold onto a single ball, but it’s how you finish at the NFL level that matters. He’s quickly proving he can be an influential player for the Giants, but adapting to live-action will be the ultimate test for Darius.

(CB) Corey Ballentine — A player with elite athleticism, Ballentine has arms that dangle like ivy at the corner position. He’s fast, quick, and physical. The reality is, his physical traits stand out the most, but he’s still raw with his technique. Another solid draft pick with backup potential in 2019, I see him acting as a solid gunner on the punt unit for now.

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(OT) George Asafo-Adjei — Becoming a reliable backup tackle for the Giants should be “Big George’s” ultimate goal for now. He’s a raw prospect but earned good reps against Josh Allen while at Kentucky, a top 10 pick in the draft. With Chad Wheeler still in the mix, he will have to fight with everything he’s got to earn playing time this season.

(IDL) Chris Slayton — The Syracuse product is a good interior defender, but will have to beat out several others to earn playing time. R.J. McIntosh presents the biggest threat after missing 2018 with a thyroid issue. Slayton has been knocked for his effort at times. That’s something he will need to overcome at the NFL level.

New York Giants rookie corner Julian Love learning by losing to Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate

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New York Giants, Julian Love, DeAndre Baker, Julian Love

The New York Giants made a significant effort to bolster their secondary this past offseason, drafting DeAndre Baker, Julian Love, and Corey Ballentine. The trio will influence the defense in some way, or at the very least leave their mark on the special teams unit, which is where I imagine Ballentine featuring.

However, Baker and Love have a good shot at not only earning playing time with the defense but starting in their first professional seasons. Baker is the expected No. 2 corner opposite Janoris Jenkins but will have to fend off the tenacious Sam Beal for the starting job.

Love will compete with Grant Haley for the slot-corner spot, and while the rookie is at a disadvantage due to the latter’s experience, he has a fair opportunity to steal playing time.

So far, Love has learned plenty from his fellow defenders, but it’s the pass catchers that have really opened his eyes to the talent he will be facing. Playing against Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate, two of the game’s best slot receivers will certainly help the rookie develop his game.

“I’ve learned that they’re the real deal,” Love told Giants.com. “A lot of pride for Golden Tate, a fellow Notre Dame guy. Both of them, it can be a slant and they’ll run it 20 different ways, the same route. They’re students of the game still and smart, so being able to predict an play the situation has been helpful at times and they’re just two of the best and I’m happy to be practicing with them.”

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New York Giants: 3 keys to a successful season in 2019

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New York Giants, DeAndre Baker

The New York Giants are headed into the 2019 season with plenty of question marks remaining, especially with the influx of youth from what seems to be a solid NFL Draft.

Building out the secondary with DeAndre Baker, Julian Love, and Corey Ballentine will prove to be extremely beneficial after only having B.W. Webb behind Janoris Jenkins last season. Baker is the assumed starter opposite Jenkins, but expect to see the coaching staff push Sam Beal to create more competition between the rookies (Beal is essentially considered a rookie).

Aside from the secondary, multiple units are in need of assistance while others have been allocated resources.

Here are the 3 keys to a successful season for the New York Giants:

1.) The offensive line

First and foremost is the offensive front, a group that general manager Dave Gettleman bolstered the past two offseasons. In 2018, the left side of the line built chemistry to excel in the season ahead. Nate Solder and Will Hernandez were both featured on a new team with different schemes, and the year they spent together will prove to be influential.

Gettleman recently traded for star right guard Kevin Zeitler, the league’s No. 1 pass protector in 2018. He will be a force on the line where Patrick Omameh and Jamon Brown once stood.

Considering how much better Brown made the team, Zeitler is going to be an excellent addition. Mike Remmers at right tackle should also provide a boost over Chad Wheeler. It ultimately comes down to Eli Manning and his efficiency in the pocket. Giving him ample time to operate will likely see his production increase.

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2.) The secondary

With a plethora of youth in the defensive backfield, it’s unproven whether or not they will perform at a high level in their rookie seasons. Baker has looked fantastic this offseason so far, but playing on an NFL field is far different. Training camp should give us a good idea as to where the youngsters are with their development and if they succeed in the secondary.

It will be interesting to see how Julian Love competes with second-year man Grant Haley at the slot corner position — Love is a talented corner with solid speed and coverage skills. While Haley has a year of experience under his belt, he was undrafted and lacks in certain areas. Love could steal the job right out from under him.

Jenkins will play a role as a mentor this season, hopefully playing at a high enough level to give the offense some support.

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3.) The defensive line

One thing the Giants have been lacking in recent years is an effective pass rush. Trading Olivier Vernon certainly didn’t help that situation, but his constant injuries were a deterrent at this point in the rebuild.

The Giants also managed to secure Zeitler in the trade that sent Vernon to Cleveland. Bringing in free agent Markus Golden, a player who hasn’t had a successful season in three years, and a rookie in Oshane Ximines can’t be the cure to a defense lacking a true pass-rush, but Gettleman simply didn’t have enough resources to allocate.

I anticipate the position will see more growth next free agency period and draft. However, the Giants are relying on Ximines and Golden to make an impact this season as they are lacking proven talent at the position. Drafting Dexter Lawrence, though, should provide a boost given his pass-rushing skills live up to the expectations provided for him.

A lack of a pass-rush not only affects the efficiency of the defense as a whole, but it also puts the offense at a disadvantage — lower turnover numbers, less time of possession on offense, less pressure on opposing quarterbacks…the list goes on.

New York Giants News, 6/30 – The secondary is finally coming together

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New York Giants, Julian Love, DeAndre Baker, Julian Love

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

Imagine thinking about the Giants’ secondary last year and realizing behind No. 1 corner Janoris Jenkins, they had Eli Apple who was traded mid-season, B.W. Webb, an inconsistent corner, and an undrafted rookie in Grant Haley starting in 11 games.

The reality is now apparent, the 2018 season was never supposed to be competitive. However, the future is now in the works. After drafting DeAndre Baker, Julian Love, and Corey Ballentine, the secondary is now looking far more efficient and tenacious.

Baker, and aggressive corner that has shined this offseason, will likely emerge as the No. 2 corner. Sam Beal, a 2018 Supplemental Draft pick, has the potential to compete, but missing time due to a personal reason has seen him fall behind.

The Giants’ late first-round pick has the potential to overtake Jenkins in 2020 if his development continues at a consistent rate. Love, a fourth-round pick that “stook out like a sore thumb” according to GM Dave Gettleman after the draft, will compete at the slot corner position with Haley.

Finally, a secondary worth talking about. A unit that will develop exponentially in 2019 and can be elite with a year of experience. With a lack of pass-rush legitimacy, I expect the young corners to get plenty of action. The 2020 draft will present the Giants with the opportunity to bolster their defensive side in the trenches.

Nonetheless–

Your Giants top news of the day!

Dan Benton (Giants Wire) – Rod Smith on early impression of Giants: ‘It’s a first-class organization’

Ed Valentine (Big Blue View) – Giants’ 90-man roster: FB Elijhaa Penny showed his value last season

Dan Schneier (247 Sports) – 10 reasons to be optimistic about the New York Giants in 2019

Anthony Rivardo (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: Every Position On Offense Ranked From Best To Worst

John Fennelly (GMEN HQ) – Can the New York Giants win with Pat Shurmur?

Check out the best news from yesterday!

New York Giants News, 6/28 – DeAndre Baker treats mom with first paycheck

 

New York Giants News, 6/20 – DeAndre Baker to succeed Janoris Jenkins?

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New York Giants, DeAndre Baker

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

Before the NFL draft, the Giants had one of the weakest secondaries in the entire league — three days after they had a group of talented young athletes prepared to upgrade the unit completely.

Drafting DeAndre Baker in the first round, Julian Love in the fourth, and Corey Ballentine in the sixth provides an influx of talent for the secondary. Baker, the corner who GM Dave Gettleman traded up into the first round to snag, will likely be the No. 2 option alongside Janoris Jenkins.

In fact, I see Baker eventually succeeding Jenkins after his contract expires in 2020. However, the Giants could look to trade Jenkins later on in the season to a contender for a second or third round pick. This would put Baker in the top corner role and provide the Giants will additional draft capital for next year.

The reality is, the Giants aren’t in a position to compete for the playoffs in 2019, so helping the youngsters develop and grow should be the priority. A year of experience should put the team in a place to really begin clawing out wins in 2020. Baker will ultimately play a big part in that — he’s a physical corner with elite speed. He’s great in coverage and can stick tight to opposing wide receivers.

Nonetheless–

Your Giants top news of the day!

Dan Benton (Giants Wire) – Giants have $9 million in remaining cap space

Dan Pizzuta (Big Blue View) – Ranking how NFC East teams are set up for future at quarterback

Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: 3 surprise veteran cuts this offseason

Dan Schneier (247 Sports) – Every mind-blowing all-time record Saquon Barkley set in 2018

Matt Williamson (Big Blue View) – Pass rush or pass coverage? Here is one vote for the hog mollies

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Check out the best news from yesterday!

New York Giants News, 6/18 – Evan Engram primed for a big year?

New York Giants: How Corey Ballentine will make an impact in 2019

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New York Giants, Corey Ballentine, Ronald Zamort

Entering the 2019 NFL Draft with a 4th round projection, the New York Giants managed to grab cornerback Corey Ballentine in the 6th. The Washburn product has solid NFL talent – speed, strength, and length.

Ballentine was in a shooting incident immediately after being drafted – he was forced out for a few weeks but has since returned with a full bill of health.

An explosive, NFL-caliber athlete, Corey is quick in space and can mirror routes against talented receivers. His long arms dangle like ivy, a trait that will help him defend passes. I anticipate he will act as a special team player to begin his career at the professional level.

The Giants’ special teams unit took a massive jump in efficiency last season – leaping from a 32nd rank to 12th (2017–>18). Ballentine’s trip to the Senior Bowl gave general manager Dave Gettleman a good idea of how well he can cover more talented receivers, something that was a question mark while at Washburn.

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The most exciting thing about the rookie corner is that his intangibles match his tangible skills in terms of quality. He has a high-class character and will be a great locker room addition. His work ethic on the field matches his efforts in the class-room, an underrated factor.

He will pick up the defensive schemes quickly and adapt to the level of play he will face in the NFL. However, there’s still plenty of room for growth. He needs to further develop his instincts and awareness around the ball, something he has struggled with in press-coverage. He’s far better on off-ball coverage — he will need to work on that deficiency to stand up against better pass catchers.

I don’t anticipate Ballentine making an impact as a corner in 2019 but rather on the special teams. I do think he can develop to a point where he can be useful in the secondary if injuries being to hit.

 

New York Giants: 3 surprise impact players for the 2019 season

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New York Giants rookie, Oshane Ximines.

With training camp around the bend, the New York Giants are in a good place, atmospherically and skill-wise. They have plenty of talent to begin building a roster that competes on a weekly basis, something we haven’t seen in quite some times.

The rookies on the team have shown they’re capable in shorts and t-shirts, but now it’s time to test them in live-action, and we will really see who can make a name for themselves.

Here are 3 surprise New York Giants players for the 2019 season:

1.) CB – Corey Ballentine

When the Giants drafted Ballentine in the 6th round, it wasn’t expected that he would make a starting impact on the team. This offseason, though, he’s shown his length and aggressiveness in coverage, something that will pay dividends if he’s forced into a starting role.

I believe his influence will come in the form of special teams play. His speed and athleticism should make him a decent gunner on the outside, and we’ve seen what a bad special-teams unit can do to the success of a team.

2.) TE – CJ Conrad

The undrafted tight end out of Kentucky has lit up OTAs and mini-camp so far for Big Blue. He’s one of just two players (Darius Slayton) to earn first-team reps.

His impact will be exciting and surprising — I anticipate him beating out Scott Simonson for the third TE job and seeing a fair amount of snaps for a rookie. Simonson only counts 90K against the cap if cut, so he’s expendable. In favor of providing Conrad with essential playing time and development, I believe he will prove his worth on the football field.

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3.) OLB – Oshane Ximines

Despite coming from a small school (Old Dominion), Ximines acquired impressive skills for an edge-rusher. He has struggled with the change to outside linebacker and understanding his assignments, but once he does, his tangibles traits will be on full display.

Gettleman was impressive with his counter-punch in college, a move most veterans haven’t even perfected. Some teams had Ximines rated as a second-round talent, but the Giants grabbed him in the third. Looking forward, he will earn himself a solid number of reps in 2019, and if he can add a bit of muscle, there’s a ton of value that can be extracted from the rookie pass-rusher.

However, I do believe his rookie season will be bumpy and there will be a learning curve facing off against more physically stout athletes.