Ogletree can’t weight to see his new results
Alec Ogletree didn’t want to get left behind.
He saw the game changing, moving toward lighter linebackers who can cover tight ends and running backs, and knew he had to adapt.
“The guys that they bring in now are not your 250s or 240s,” the Giants’ middle linebacker said. “They are at 225 and 230 at the most playing linebacker.”
So, he changed his diet and dropped 10 pounds, getting down to 240.
“For me, still doing the same thing, if you get lighter, you can be a little bit faster than what you were,” said Ogletree, who is dealing with a calf injury and may not play in another preseason game. “That’s my thinking behind that. … I feel like I can definitely still run. Half of the game is being able to run and chase down tackles or cover out in space and stuff like that.”
His weight isn’t the only change for the 27-year-old Ogletree this year. He also has a new number, 47, after playing his first six years in the league with 52. He said he felt he had gotten everything out of 52.
With his old number last year, Ogletree had five interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. I roni - cally, rookie Jake Carlock, now wearing No. 52, returned an interception for a score in the f irst preseason game against the Jets.
“No regrets, no regrets,” Ogletree said with a smile when asked about the number change. “I’m extremely happy for him, glad he represented the number really well and more power to him.”
After all, Ogletree is trying to adapt. He has a new playing weight along with a new jersey number.