The Giants used just two of their draft picks on defensive backs, an interesting strategy given the rumors of attempt to deal CB James Bradberry after also losing safety Logan Ryan as a cap casualty this offseason.
But, within those two DB picks they got an interesting player in Iowa safety Dane Belton, who is a safety in name but played the hybrid “Cash” position for the Hawkeyes that’s a little bit safety, a little bit nickel, and a little bit coverage middle linebacker.
“In our base defense, I played a two-high safety, but any time the offense came out in 10 or 11 personnel, basically passing formation, I went down to a nickel what we call cash, and really just a versatile player that has to guard slot receivers and play in the box, blitz off the edge, doing multiple things,” Belton said after being selected Saturday.
The 10 and 11 personnel stand for one running back and either one tight end or no tight ends, more of a spread offense that has become pervasive in the NFL on passing downs.
“Being able to understand different positions and also being the guy who made the calls a lot of times in the defense and having to do that in the NFL was something I feel like might have intrigued them,” Belton said about how that role may have influenced Big Blue’s pick.
Belton met with the Giants quite a bit over Zoom, and was in New York for a Top 30 visit – his hometown Bucs were the only team he visited in person otherwise – and he “loved” the feel he got from the Giants.
“I really loved it up there and talking to coaches, coaches spoke highly on the new coaching staff coming in. Coaches that had been here from last year and the previous coaching staff talking how the energy has changed,” he said. “They just love being around here and the players come ready to work, and I feel like the coaches were energetic and love to coach and love the game. So I feel like it was a good environment overall.”
Belton felt there was a chance the Giants could be a possible landing spot after his final weekend of visits, and indeed, it was that versatility that drew Big Blue in.
“The versatility in the player, he's got ball skills, he can play from depth and down in the box, can pay nickel,” GM Joe Schoen said Saturday in running down Big Blue’s Day 3 picks.
But, he wasn’t anxious about waiting, as even though there was a thought he could go somewhere Friday night late in Round 3, the Top 10 of Round 4 at the top of Day 3 was fine with him.
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“I wasn't necessarily too anxious. I felt like whatever happened, happened,” he said. “I put my trust in God and honestly I fell to the right place and a good situation a great organization and I'm ready to get to work.”
Regardless of what position he ultimately plays, Belton wants Big Blue fans to know that he is, first and foremost, a competitor and student of the game ready to work hard wherever he is.
“I’m a getting a competitor, a guy who loves the game who is going to come in ready to work does and do whatever it takes,” he said. “I’m a guy who loves to study the game and try to continue to improve myself. I feel like I pride myself on creating takeaways and understanding how offenses attack and just trying to get in the passing lanes and doing what the defense needs to do. So just a person coming in ready to work.”
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