Jason Pierre-Paul, the Giants’ first-round pick, looked a little slow out of the blocks during the first day of rookie mini-camp yesterday. Unfortunately for the Giants, he looked even slower today.
The rookie defensive end out of South Florida struggled during the Giants’ morning workout, batting apparent back spasms related to the heat at the Meadowlands and what Tom Coughlin said was surprisingly a lack of conditioning. The “freakish” athlete was “struggling”, Coughlin said, and at times appeared to have trouble getting in and out of his stance.
“I think he’s going through the conditioning aspect of this,” Coughlin said. “I think he’s suffering a little, but he’s hanging in there.”
Several times Pierre-Paul was seen on the ground, being stretched out be the Giants’ trainers. One time he was on his knees, hunched over, so trainers could spray his back with water. When they were done they applied a bandage to his lower back.
Pierre-Paul doesn’t have a history of back trouble, Coughlin said, but he was clearly stiffening up as the morning went on. He didn’t miss many reps - - if any - - but he very slow to get down into or up out of his stance, and walked through many of the defensive line drills.
In team drills he showed a little more burst, but not much push. At one point the 6-5, 270-pounder was even thrown to the ground by 6-foot, 255-pound tight end Carson Butler.
“I just think he is like a lot of them, they’re suffering a little bit because it’s hotter than it’s been,” Coughlin said. “They had two (practices) yesterday and they had time to cramp up and get sore and then come back in and do it again. I wish he was running around like, perhaps, I had the thought that he would be. But he learns every time he gets out there.”
Coughlin said Pierre-Paul’s learning has been “so-so, just like all young guys. They take a step forward and maybe a couple of steps back. Then in another period they maybe take a couple of steps forward and only one step back.”
It’s not clear at this point if Pierre-Paul will take part in the final practice of the Giants’ rookie mini-camp scheduled for this afternoon.
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In contrast to Pierre-Paul, DT Linval Joseph - - the second-rounder from East Carolina - - seems to be in excellent shape for a big man. He also has a surprisingly quick first step and shows a lot of bust coming off the line of scrimmage.
“He’s moving around pretty good,” Coughlin said. “He’s a big load that can run. He’s athletic. He’s got a good attitude. He fought his way through (after) he was struggling a little bit yesterday afternoon. He seemed to be doing well this morning and had enough energy to be able to talk up the other guys when it looked like they were dragging.”
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MLB Phillip Dillard is a little small (6-0, 245) and looks smaller, but he’s showing “flashes” that Coughlin seems to like on the field.
“He flashes,” Coughlin said. “He seems to be enjoying himself. He’s flying around. He’s in good shape. He’s doing OK with (directing the defense), but right now he’s got enough on his plate to call the defense and himself lined up.”
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Another draft pick whose conditioning is a concern is S Chad Jones, the third-round pick. Coughlin said today “I think he’s a little heavy” and said he’s a player that needs to watch his weight.
“He’s got some conditioning work to do,” Coughlin said. “And he’s made some mental errors, which is not surprising. He’ll be very cognizant of the weight and the conditioning aspect of it when he gets back.”
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CB Seth Williams, a UDFA from Richmond, was one of the players that Coughlin singled out yesterday for having a good first day. He also had a good start to his second day, streaking down the sidelines to break up a pass. He seems to have caught Coughlin’s eye. And I’ve yet to see a receiver beat him down field, not even by a step.
I also thought that RB Deshawn Wynn, the former Green Bay Packer, was having a decent morning and showing some speed (in non-contact drills, RBs can show little else). But Coughlin seemed very unimpressed by his stable of running backs at rookie camp.
“I haven’t seen a lot of flashes” from the running backs, Coughlin said.
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WR Nyan Boateng, out of Cal, was brought into minicamp on a tryout basis today, replacing WR D.J. McAulay (William & Mary), who was cut.
Two other players were missing today: DT Abe Koroma (Western Illinois), who as it turns out was never even at mini-camp (Who knew?). And CB Wondy Pierre-Louis (Florida), who left the afternoon practice with one of the equipment guys yesterday and never returned.

I'm starting to get flashbacks of Cedric jones. He got thrown to the ground by an undrafted te!

I'm still gonna pull for the kid but this guy was a 3rd round talent at best selected way to high. We might not get a legit return on him for at least 3 years if we do at all. He's to weak and to raw. If rookie mini camps are to hard for him he'll have a hell of a time in training camp.