If there’s an area of the Giants’ defense that can be seen as a question mark, it’s the defensive line.
Defensive tackle Linval Joseph, one of the team’s stalwarts from 2013, signed with the Vikings in the offseason — a move that leaves 33-year-old Cullen Jenkins and 30-year-old Mike Patterson as the presumptive starting tackles.
Jenkins and Patterson are in the back half of their careers, so it’s imperative the Giants find a young cornerstone to anchor their defensive front.
Enter Johnathan Hankins, the team’s second-round draft pick a year ago from Ohio State, who said his second training camp is night and day compared with his rookie camp.
“I feel more comfortable,” the defensive tackle said Monday. “I [kind of] know the blocks that I’m getting, just going out there and playing. Last year, I was just out there just trying to make some plays so they could know who I am. This year is [kind of] slow. I already know the defense and terminology so I’m just going out there flying around as hard as I can.”
“Johnathan seems to be having a good camp,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “We like what we’ve seen so far.”
The Giants are hoping that in his second season, Hankins can make the leap Joseph made after his rookie year.
Joseph saw action in only six games as a rookie in 2010, but became a contributor to the Super Bowl-winning team of 2011 and then continued to blossom the last two seasons, recording 108 total tackles and seven sacks combined.
Joseph’s departure could have immediately opened up a spot in the starting lineup for Hankins, but he isn’t surprised Jenkins and Patterson have been getting snaps ahead of him.
“I knew once he left there would be a lot of questions going on to see who was going to take his spot,” Hankins said. “That’s why you have training camp, to see who can take that next step and who can step in. We have a great group of defensive tackles, a great rotation going on, and whoever the coaches decide to put in there, that’s what I’m going to go with.”
Hankins said he has made strides in getting pressure on the opposing quarterback.
“I’m doing a better job this year compared to last year [in] pushing the pocket,” he said. “Keep working on my technique and I’ll be able to call myself an elite run blocker and pass rusher.”
When asked if being passed over for a spot in the starting lineup added any extra motivation, Hankins said he’s just focused on doing his best.
“I’m out there doing what I [have to] do,” he said. “I’m [going to] leave that decision to whoever makes the choice. My job is to go out there and compete, make plays and do my job.”