One of the Giants’ more overlooked rookies could be the first on the team to have the ball in his hands this season.
Running back Eric Gray, whom the Giants selected in the fifth round, hasn’t garnered as much attention as fellow rookies Deonte Banks, John Michael Schmitz, Jalin Hyatt and Tre Hawkins, all of whom are expected to start or have significant roles.
Gray will instead have to be much more patient finding playing time with star Saquon Barkley ahead of him.
But Gray will still have a big opportunity to make a major impact.
The former Tennessee and Oklahoma star is expected to be the Giants’ primary returner.
He took the majority of reps at the two spots throughout training camp, and is listed as the starting punt returner and backup kick returner to fellow running back
Gary Brightwell, who was injured the majority of camp and was limited on Wednesday in practice.
That means Gray will likely have both punt and kick returning responsibilities to begin the season.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for me,” Gray said after practice on Wednesday. “Being able to do that, thankful for the guys trusting in me, coaches trusting in me to get that done.”
The Giants averaged 6.2 yards on punt returns last year, the fourth-worst mark in the NFL, and averaged 21.3 yards on kick returns — tied for 10th-worst.
Gray is billed as a shifty and explosive runner with the ball, giving the Giants hope they can improve in that area.
“Being able to steal field position in that area, being able to just be dynamic back there, there’s a lot of field position that you can get,” Gray said. “Even if you don’t return it [for a touchdown], if you take 20 yards, 30 yards, that’s a lot for an offense to call plays.”
Though Gray returned kicks and punts his sophomore and junior seasons in college, entrusting a rookie with returning duties can be nerve-racking given how calamitous or consequential it can be.
For Gray and the Giants, there was a reason trust was quickly earned.
“Eric Gray has been in the University of Tennessee’s stadium, Neyland Stadium, and it fits 110,000 people,” special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey said. “He’s played in Oklahoma, again, Red River Shootout and all that stuff. It’s not too big for the kid. He knows what he’s doing. He’s done it, and we feel comfortable with him.”