When the New York Giants traded for former Los Angeles Ram, Alec Ogletree, the organization gained a stellar player on the field and human off of it. His physicality and ability to command the defense is exactly what a struggling Giants team needed, as he will bring a mentality to the game that has been lacking at the linebacker position for years.
Since the days of Antonio Pierce, Big Blue had allowed the quality at linebacker to diminish into a pit of mediocrity. They have struggled to stop the run and stop opposing tight ends. Ogletree will help change that narrative. He’s a talented athlete with physical gifts that will begin to help the Giants transition into a James Bettcher 3-4 defense.
What Ogletree brings to the New York Giants:
The Giant’s new linebacker brings a quarterbacks mentality to the defense, which will help organize the field and prepare for every play. His presence will be felt and we should be excited for his arrival. His big-hitting ability is a perfect fit for the 3-4 defense, which relies on the linebackers to fill gaps and stop the run.
“I guess it’s been said I’ve been the quarterback of the defense, I guess. But at my position, it comes with some sense of leadership, where you’ve got to get guys lined up and stuff,†Ogletree said. “But for me, I try to lead by example, and doing the right thing before I say something. Just so you can see it instead of just listening to what I’m saying. If I’m speaking the right thing, I’ve got to be doing the right thing.â€
With a solid front-three consisting of Damon Harrison, Dalvin Tomlinson, and BJ Hill, the Giants should be in good shape to improve upon their 26th ranked run-defense in 2017. Ogletree will work cohesively with the defensive line to position himself against the run and pass. His role will be essential in making the 3-4 defense work, as BJ Goodson will work alongside him as they attempt to create a dynamic inside linebacker duo. Both are great tacklers and will be asked to do a lot of the heavily lifting against the run, while the secondary is left to manage themselves in cover-2 and man-coverage.
Essentially, Ogletree’s performance in 2018 will be the deciding factor in regard to success on the defense, why? Because his pressure on the quarterback will help determine the success of the corner-backs and safeties. He needs to utilize his speed and strength to get into the backfield and wreck havoc. Bettcher owned one of the most blitz-happy defenses in the leagues last year, which is something we should expect to see against in the months ahead.