The New York Giants released the first draft of their 2022 depth chart on Monday and to no one’s surprise rookie Daniel Bellinger was listed as the starting tight end.
Bellinger, a fourth-round pick out of San Diego State, comes highly touted and has been running with the starters at training camp this month.
“It’s been exciting, I just do what my coach tells me to do,” Bellinger told reporters on Monday on his experience thus far. “I go out there and just try to do what he tells me to do and try and compete. Again, just earn trust from not just my position coach but, Daniel Jones, coach Dabs, and really just try to do what they tell me to do and earn trust from them.”
Bellinger is considered a full-service tight end, one who can block as well as make plays in the passing game. He played in a pro-style offense at SDSU under head coach Brady Hoke and is fitting in well here with the Giants.
“Just the speed, trying to read defenses. Just learning how different defenses work and of course just learning our system,” Bellinger said when asked about the adjustments he’s making. “Just a lot more motions and stuff like that, before I’d just have to know my job like the Y and F positions, but now it’s critical that I know everybody’s job, the route concept, and the whole play and not just my route.”
After a small injury hiccup at the start of camp, Bellinger is going full throttle and the Giants are relying on him to catch on quickly. At SDSU, he was more of a blocker than a receiver. He hopes to change that.
“I’m pretty confident that I can show that and of course it’s whatever they want me to do. If they want me to go out there and catch a pass I will, if they want me to put my hand in the dirt to block, I’ll do that as well,” he said.
