It wasn’t so long ago that Eli Apple’s days with the Giants appeared numbered, but changes to the coaching staff have provided the cornerback with a new start in New York.
“Day one is Monday and every guy that walks in that room, day one is Monday,” Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher said, via quotes distributed by the team. “So, whatever happened before, whether it was here or whether it was with a different team, guys that we draft, whether it was in college, whatever it was that has happened with guys, day one is Monday. Day one is the first day those guys walk in the building, and we’re going to build from there.”
The Giants drafted Apple with the 10th overall pick in 2016 for a reason. He has not lived up to his draft status in two seasons, but the new staff seems to believe they can get the most out of him.
“He’s a big guy; he can run; he’ll tackle and that’s the thing it takes to be a good corner, if you can get close in coverage,” assistant defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend said. “Everybody, every day, the one thing you can always control is your technique. We’ll work that daily. Tackling, you’ll work that. But he has God-given ability that most people don’t have. He’s 6-1, runs a 4.4, and he’ll hit you. So, that’s something good to work with.”
The Giants are leaving all the things that happened in the past in the past, with Apple getting a chance to move forward.