COREY’S QUEST
After offseason tragedy, Ballentine in position to make Giants’ roster >>
EAST RUTHERFORD >> Corey Ballentine jokes that he was taller and weighed a bit more than most Division II receivers. He doesn’t have the same luxury when lining up across from NFL players.
But as improbable as it may seem to some, the cornerback from Washburn University says his roots were never going to preclude him from making an impact on the Giants’ defense.
“I think I’ve always been able to compete at this level. It’s just kind of my first opportunity to do it,” Ballentine said Tuesday after the Giants’ final practice of training camp. “Now that I’mhere, I thinkImatch up well. It’s just about learning the tools and getting new techniques in my toolbox and applying them, and I think I can fit in well with this defense.”
The sixth-round draft pick has positioned himself as a lock to make the Giants’ 53-man roster when cuts come Saturday. Ballentine has rotated in with the first-team defense during practice and earned a start last Thursday against the Bengals.
Within those snaps he’s been reliable and productive in coverage. After recording an interception in the preseason opener against the Jets, Ballentine had two pass breakups in Cincinnati including a third-and-6 stop on the opening drive. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton countered a blitz by targeting Damion Willis on a slant, but Ballentine angled himself to have good leverage and batted down the pass.
Head coach Pat Shurmur has described Ballentine as a sure tackler, and he backed up that notion as well by securing nine combined tackles last week.
“In my head I knew that I could, but at the same time I wanted to prove to myself and to other people that I could,” Ballentine said. “Really I think when it started was the Senior Bowl (in January). I went to the Senior Bowl and now I’m going up against Division I receivers— the kind of guys that I’m going to be seeing weekly here. I think thatwas my first real test, and I think it definitely helped my confidence, knowing that I can do it.”
But what happened three months after that made for perhaps the most impressive part of Ballentine’s journey.
Hours after New York selected him 180th overall in the draft, Ballentine was shot in the rear end while attending an off-campus party in Topeka, Kansas. Ballentine’s best friend and former teammate, Dwane Simmons, was killed during the shooting.
Ballentine did not attend the Giants’ rookie minicamp the follow week. Mentally he was mourning the loss of Simmons, and physically he had to let his wound heal before even being able to practice again.
“I think anytime we have adversity in our life, it becomes part of us,” Shurmur said. “You hate to see somebody go through that, but the way he’s handled it emotionally, mentally, his conversations behind the building, asking for people to help him … he displayed to us that he’s a very smart, very mature young man. He’s got a great, really a high degree of toughness to him.”
Ballentine admits the injury set him back during the offseason, but during rehab he was able to take keymental reps in practice.
The Jamaica native was full-go throughout training camp as the Giants dealt with injuries to cornerback DeAndre Baker, Sam Beal, Grant Haley and Antonio Hamilton.
Ballentine isn’t concerned with how many snaps he receives Week 1 in Dallas. His plan is simple.
“I definitely think it’ll be a lot of emotions going through me,” Ballentine said. “I’m just going to try to slow it down in my body and not try to overthink everything. I think that’s what happens: Everyone gets flusteredwith the noise and just the moment, and I’m just going to try to slow it down, go throughmy progressions, my reads… make it slow down inmy head, so then I could just react and not have to think so much. And then it becomes second nature and now I can go out there and make plays.”
Injuries
Of fensive lineman George Asafo-Adjei remains in the concussion protocol and will likely go on injured reserve after roster cuts. Running back Rod Smith (adductor), tight end Garrett Dickerson (quad) and safety Kenny Ladler (hamstring) worked on the side Tuesday with trainers.
Starting left tackle Nate Solder was excused from practice for a personal reason, Shurmur said. Chad Slade stepped in with the first-team offense and is likely to make the roster as a reserve lineman.
Cornerback Sam Beal (hamstring), cornerback Antonio Hamilton (groin) and offensive lineman Chad Wheeler (back) participated in individual drills but not team drills. They are unlikely to play in the preseason finale Thursday at the Patriots.