The New York Giants have position battles set to occur at two different positions during training camp. Center and right tackle haven’t been solidified just yet, but offensive line coach Marc Colombo believes former undrafted free agent Nick Gates leads the pack at center. The Giants currently have a Shane Lemieux, who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft, Spencer Pulley, and Jon Halapio.
None of the options available provide much optimism at the position, and while Gates hasn’t played a live rep at center before, his success at both right tackle and right guard in 2019 promotes his transition. Having a coach like Colombo to help his move is exactly what the Giants need.
Developing a sturdy foundation on the interior of the line is essential, with Gates, Kevin Zeitler, and Will Hernandez locking down the guard and center positions. Drafting Andrew Thomas with the fourth overall pick will hold inject a fantastic talent at tackle for the future, but Nate Solder opting out will have its impact.
Assuming Thomas starts at left tackle, the New York Giants will likely stick with swing tackle Cam Fleming on the right side, for the time being. Nonetheless, upgrading the interior is a necessity, and Gates has the ability to do just that.
New York Giants’ OL coach Marc Colombo states:
“Never played the position before and he’s the alpha male you want at the position, he owns it,’’ Colombo said. “That’s what you love about Nick. He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s versatile. Just love the kid so far.’’
At 6-foot-5 and 307-pounds, Gates is a bit big for the center position. However, Colombo mentioned his desire to have a bigger center, comparing him to former Dallas Pro Bowler Travis Frederick, who was 6-foot-4 and 317-pounds.
“We like big centers,’’ Colombo said. “We’re looking for centers that can anchor the middle. One of the biggest things is getting depth right off the bat at center just so he can kind of be the ultimate helper in there. It’s working his sets, working the depth of the sets, working the calls, the line stunts. That type of stuff. He’s just got to see it all. He’s new to the position so he’s seeing stuff for the first time.’’