Four years ago, J.D. Walton was, in many ways, Weston Richburg, the rookie center the Giants took 11 days ago in the second round of the NFL Draft.
Walton, a Texas kid coming out of Baylor, was the top-rated center entering the 2010 draft and went in the third round to the Broncos. He became an immediate starter and stayed in the lineup for 36 consecutive games, until a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle, plus a nasty infection, landed him on injured reserve. He hasn’t played since.
Richburg, another Texas kid, was ranked as the top center in this year’s draft and came out of Colorado State to the Giants in the second round. This was somewhat surprising, considering the Giants signed the 27-year old Walton in free agency, presumably to be their starting center.
“I mean, any team I’m on I’m going to bust my butt,’’ Walton said Tuesday. “Just from stuff I’ve done in the past, I’m expecting myself to start.’’
But what about Richburg?
“Nothing wrong with competition,’’ Walton said. “He’s a good kid. It elevates everyone’s play.’’
The Giants believe Richburg is as close to NFL-ready as a rookie can be and he, like Walton, is aiming to start. Unlike Walton, Richburg will also be given a look at guard, where Chris Snee and Geoff Schwartz are the expected starters.
“Come in to be the starter, that’s my mind-set,’’ Richburg said. “I’ve never had anything handed to me so I’m going to have to work hard to achieve what I want to achieve.’’
The Jets were hot on the trail of CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie but he left a visit without a contract and the next day signed a five-year, $35 million contract with the Giants. Why the Giants and not the Jets?
“Understanding my game and where I want to go and the things they’re going to allow me to do and the help that I have, I think it will help me in the long run,’’ he said. “Just play fast, play my style of football and just getting after people. We definitely got some leaders back there in the back end.’’
One of those leaders, safety Antrel Rolle, believes Rodgers-Cromartie can be the best cover-corner in the league. The two were teammates for three seasons in Arizona with the Cardinals.
“That came from him, not me,’’ Rodgers-Cromartie said with a trace of a smile. “Whenever you got somebody that believes in you, you want to go out there and go that much harder and kind of not be a letdown and hold up your end of the bargain.’’
Ryan Nassib, entering his second NFL season, has plenty of competition for the role of Eli Manning’s backup, with Curtis Painter and Josh Freeman more experienced and on the roster.
“My goal is to earn that spot and stay on this team,’’ Nassib said.
Fifth-round pick Devon Kennard from USC said he has been working thus far at middle linebacker.