Giants.com takes a closer look at three players who stood out at practice! Follow @Giants on twitter for LIVE practice updates during minicamp!

CB PRINCE AMUKAMARA

The defense led the charge in the first practice of minicamp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center, and cornerback Prince Amukamara, who is growing into a leader on the unit, was at the forefront.

Amukamara and Eli Manning have been testing each other all spring, and today the cornerback got the best of it with an interception late in 11-on-11 drills. Earlier in the day,

**>> WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM PRACTICE**

Amukamara made another nice play in breaking up a pass for rookie wide receiver Geremy Davis.

"They've had a whole lot of stuff thrown at them and they've done decently with it," coach Tom Coughlin said of the defense after practice. "They weren't as good at the end of last week, and that's probably why you saw better here today."

QB ELI MANNING

Aside from the one throw he wanted back, Manning picked up where he left off in organized team activities and carried his impressive spring over to minicamp.

Manning threw three touchdowns on Tuesday, including two early in red-zone drills to tight end Daniel Fells and running back Shane Vereen, who continues to build a strong rapport with his new quarterback. Manning's third touchdown strike was to wide receiver Preston Parker, who broke free in the end zone for the score. 

**>> GIANTS MINICAMP PRACTICE REPORT**

"I feel like I'm throwing it well," Manning said after practice. "I feel like I got good juice on it and have a better feel for the offense coming in this spring than last year, so just keep getting better and keep trying to learn more concepts and get more familiar with some of the newer concepts we are doing and kind of expand within the offense."

SAFETY MYKKELE THOMPSON

After snatching the first interception on the first day of OTAs a few weeks ago, the rookie fifth-round draft pick did it again to kick off minicamp. Thompson showed his hands and awareness by controlling a tipped pass over the middle that his position coach, David Merritt, saw coming. 

**>> TAKEAWAYS FROM PLAYER AND COACH INTERVIEWS**

"Mykkele, I knew was a smart kid," Merritt said earlier in the day. "He came here and he is a cerebral kid, that is for sure. He is going to take what I say literally and take my word for it and go out and try to execute it. Now I am starting to see that the kid actually has some football awareness, where I didn't think he had much of it when we first started off. The [missed alignments] that started at the beginning of rookie mini-camp and OTAs have drastically gone down. Mentally, he has excelled past my expectations."