The New York Giants got their preseason off to a strong start on Thursday night, beating the Super Bowl-contending Detroit Lions’ backups 14–3. The Giants’ backups looked solid in the Preseason Week 1 matchup with a few players notably raising their stock in the exhibition match.
Eric Gray could be the Giants’ RB2 after stellar preseason performance
Second-year running back Eric Gray was undoubtedly the player of the game on Thursday night. He found the end zone twice in the matchup as he totaled 98 all-purpose yards from scrimmage in the best performance of his young career so far.
Gray rushed for 52 yards and two touchdowns on four carries, including the highlight of the game — a 48-yard score in the second quarter. He also grabbed four receptions on four targets for 46 receiving yards.
Heading into the first preseason game, Gray’s roster security was in question. But this strong performance boosted his stock and heavily increased Gray’s chances of keeping a roster spot for the regular season.
Undrafted rookie DT made a push for the starting job
Undrafted rookie defensive tackle Elijah Chatman stuffed the stat sheet on Thursday night with an impressive debut performance. He totaled three tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and one quarterback hit in the contest.
The 6-foot, 278-pound SMU product has been a standout performer throughout the summer. If Chatman can continue to play at such a high level, he could compete for a starting job on the defensive line.
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Second-year cornerback now in the mix for starting job
With the injury to projected starting cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, the Giants have a wide-open position battle in their secondary. Nick McCloud is the new top contender for the CB2 job, however, second-year cornerback Tre Hawkins III threw his name in the mix after a strong outing in the team’s first preseason game.
Hawkins was on the field for a total of 34 defensive snaps, racking up three tackles and one pass breakup. He earned a stellar 90.0 Pro Football Focus grade for his performance. Hawkins was targeted three times in coverage and surrendered just one reception of only seven yards.
Last summer, Hawkins won the starting job as a sixth-round rookie after an impressive summer of training camp and preseason performances. He could aim to steal the starting job once again this year after a strong start to this preseason campaign on Thursday night.
