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Fact or Fiction: What to watch when pads come on

FACT-OR-FICTION-SCHMITZ

The Giants.com crew is presented with four statements and must decide whether they are Fact or Fiction.

Rookie center John Michael Schmitz is the offensive player you're most interested to see on the first day with pads.

John Schmeelk: Fiction – I am excited to see John Michael Schmitz, but when the O-Line/D-Line 1-on-1s start, I will be most interested in Evan Neal and how he fares against dynamic rushers like Azeez Ojulari and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Neal continuing to improve at right tackle is one of the keys to the season for the Giants, so I want to see how his offseason work will translate to the field.

Dan Salomone: Fact – I'll just leave you with this quote from P.J. Fleck, his former head coach at the University of Minnesota, on a recent episode of the Giants Huddle podcast: "He loves the contact. He loves the physicality of it. He loves the dirty part of it. He loves the nasty part of it. The nastier, the better he plays. The filthier it is, it's like a pig man. He's just rolling around in that mud, and he's happier as he gets more mud on him. That's the type of player he is, and listen, there's nothing fake about the guy. He's probably the toughest football player I've ever been around as being a head football coach. He's incredibly intelligent, really smart, but it's not about that he just plays center or he's a good offensive lineman. That's what he does. How he plays the position separates him from everybody. That's where in between that six seconds or five seconds, it's a dog fight and a rock fight with him every single play."

Lance Medow: Fact – When offensive line coach Bobby Johnson recently addressed the media, he mentioned John Michael Schmitz's first true test won't come until they put the pads on and has to go head-to-head with Dexter Lawrence during training camp. There's no contact allowed throughout the spring, so if you're going to get any idea of what an offensive lineman can bring to the table, you won't find that out until the physicality of the game is on full display. Schmitz is an experienced college player who spent six years at Minnesota, but Lawrence is an All-Pro coming off a career year. I can't think of a better litmus test and preview of what he'll see on a consistent basis in the NFL.

Matt Citak: Fiction – I can't wait to see Schmitz in pads for the first time as a Giant, but the offensive player I'm most interested to see is second-year right tackle Evan Neal, who has been training hard since the end of the season and appears to be in great shape. Additionally, last year was the fourth straight year in which Neal did not play the same position in consecutive seasons (he played LG, RT and LT in his final three seasons at Alabama). With it being Year 2 in the offense and lining up at right tackle for the second straight year, Neal could take a major step in 2023, and it all starts once the pads come on.

Rookie cornerback Deonte Banks is the defensive player you're most interested to see on the first day with pads.

John Schmeelk: Fact – Banks is a physical, press cornerback. He was not able to utilize the best parts of his skillset during minicamp due to the non-contact rules in place from the CBA. I cannot wait to see him line up face to face, straight up on the line of scrimmage against veteran wide receivers like Darius Slayton to see how well he does against polished, professional players.

Dan Salomone: Fact – He had the top athleticism score among cornerbacks at the NFL Combine, where he showed off his 4.3 speed. Spring football is largely about conditioning and learning, but it's about to get real in a few weeks at training camp.

Lance Medow: Fact – Much like my response to the first statement, I think when it comes to training camp, members of the rookie class are the most appealing to watch because we have yet to see them compete on the NFL level. The former Maryland standout is known for his ability to cover receivers on an island, so let the games begin against a versatile group of receivers. In the NFL, beyond five yards of the line of scrimmage can be a rude awakening for most young corners. Banks will get his first taste of that once they put the pads on in late July.

Matt Citak: Fact – Banks could be one of the biggest X-factors on defense this season. The 6-foot-2 rookie has ideal size, speed and athleticism for the cornerback position, and he put his skillset on full display during spring practices. With Banks on one side and Adoree' Jackson on the other, the Giants have a chance to boast one of the league's more talented CB duos this year. I'm very interested to see how physical Banks gets with wide receivers at the line of scrimmage once the pads are on and contact is permitted, as this is an area in which he thrived in last year at Maryland.

Get excited for the 2023 season with photos from Media Day at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

Cornerback Cor'Dale Flott is the defensive player with the most to gain this summer.

John Schmeelk: Fact – I debated between Flott and Darrian Beavers here but landed on the former because multiple defensive backs are on the field far more often than linebackers, which means there are more overall snaps for him to earn with strong play. Flott will have a chance to play outside, but the competition inside will be the spot the most snaps will be available to earn. Darnay Holmes is the incumbent, and veteran addition Bobby McCain also has experience at the position.

Dan Salomone: Fact – It takes a pretty special person to play just three snaps but have one of them be a clinching play in a postseason game on the road. Oh, and he was a rookie. The 2022 third-round pick didn't care that he wasn't in the flow of the game and broke up Kirk Cousins' pass intended for K.J. Osborn on the Vikings' final possession as the Giants clung to a seven-point lead. "[He] has a high ceiling," general manager Joe Schoen said. "We're excited about him."

Lance Medow: Fiction – Cor'Dale Flott was in and out of the lineup last season due to injuries, but Wink Martindale also did a lot of mixing and matching at corner in 2022 as five different players at that position logged at least 41 percent of the snaps. Flott certainly has an opportunity heading into this season, but I'm not sure only one player will man the slot. That's why I'm staying in the secondary but going with safety Dane Belton. The Giants lost Julian Love this offseason in free agency but added veteran Bobby McCain, who has experience at both corner and safety. The latter could very well be an interchangeable player at both positions, so Belton has a good chance to win the starting job opposite Xavier McKinney.

Matt Citak: Fiction – Flott certainly has a lot to gain this summer as he competes for the starting slot corner role, as does Darrian Beavers at inside linebacker. However, I'm going with the player selected 33 picks after Flott in last year's draft, safety Dane Belton. Belton showed flashes during his rookie season, even after a clavicle injury suffered during training camp caused him to miss all of preseason and the season opener. He went on to play 15 games with five starts and was responsible for four turnovers (two interceptions, two fumble recoveries). With Julian Love now on the Seahawks, the starting safety position next to Xavier McKinney is up for grabs. A strong performance this summer could earn Belton that role.

Offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu is the offensive player with the most to gain this summer.

John Schmeelk: Fact – I don't like including rookies in this conversation, so I think Ezeudu is the obvious answer given the opportunity in front of him to grab the starting left guard spot. He will have to beat out young veterans like Ben Bredeson and Shane Lemieux, but the door is open for him to earn the full-time starting spot in Week 1. If both Ezeudu and John Michael Schmitz start in Week 1, the Giants will have one of the youngest offensive lines in the league.

Dan Salomone: Fiction – Everything is relative. When I think about "the most to gain," my mind goes to the players who will be competing for a roster spot and thus keeping their pro dreams alive. Ezeudu has a lot to gain in the form of a starting role, but his place on the 53-man is secure.

Lance Medow: Fact – You can also make an argument for several wide receivers, but the volume of that group makes it a bit more difficult to single out a player. That's why Ezeudu makes a strong case for the best opportunity on offense.

Matt Citak: Fact – The competition between the wide receivers to see who makes the roster will likely be the most intense position battle this summer. But with 14 receivers currently on the roster, it's hard to pinpoint just one as the player with the most to gain. Instead, let's go with Ezeudu. The second-year offensive lineman is firmly in the conversation to start at left guard this season, but there is no doubt that he will have to beat out a few veterans during training camp in order to earn that spot. Ben Bredeson started eight games there last year, while Shane Lemieux and Jack Anderson will also be competing for the starting role. The Giants spent the 67th overall pick on Ezeudu in last year's draft, and he did start two games at left guard before a neck injury cut his rookie year short. Ezeudu surrendered just two total sacks in his final three seasons at North Carolina. If he can get back to that form, Ezeudu could end up being the Giants' starting left guard this year.

Take a look at rare photos of New York Giants training camps through the years.

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