2023 Spring Football

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Gervarrius Owens excited to fulfill childhood dream

May 05, 2023 at 02:00 PM

Michael Eisen

Giants.com Senior Writer/Editor

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Only five players were selected in the 2023 NFL Draft after Gervarrius Owens, who was taken by the Giants at No. 254 overall – long after commissioner Roger Goodell had stopped announcing each pick. But the reaction in the Owens household was just as emotional as it would have been had he been chosen No. 1.

"Man, it was crazy to say the least, just hearing my name called," he said today. "It's a childhood dream since I was like eight years old. Just kind of waiting on this day, so for it to come full circle was just a blessing. All my family and friends were around me, so just being surrounded by all that love, it just really put everything in perspective for me. I'm definitely blessed to be here and going to get to work for sure."

Owens spoke publicly for the first time since he was drafted last Saturday as the Giants opened their rookie minicamp. The team's seven draft choices, nine newly signed undrafted free agents, 52 players trying out and five players on the roster who were eligible to participate were on the field.

Like all of them, Owens, a safety from the University of Houston, was trying to get his bearings while also learning the defense and impressing the coaches.

"It was just crazy, just first day, like I said, you dream of this moment so long, then it hits you," he said. "Like the first day, me, (Deonte) Banks and Tre Hawkins (the Giants' other draftees in the secondary) running out to the field like, 'man, it's time, we're really here.' Just trying to soak everything in, but at the same time everything is so fresh, so it's just kind of all over the place.

The first day was definitely a blessing. Got in, got some good work together, so kind of just getting acclimated to everything, but it's a blessing. That's all I can really say."

Owens began his collegiate career at Northeast Oklahoma A&M before joining the Cougars, for whom he played in 46 games with 42 starts. He was credited with 195 tackles (132 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions, 21 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two blocked kicks. Owens was selected first-team All-AAC as a junior and second team as a senior. In 2022, he started all 12 games in which he played – and missed one with a concussion – and logged a career-high 74 tackles (54 solo), one interception and nine passes defensed.

What kind of player are the Giants getting in Owens?

"Somebody that's willing to come in from day one, a hardhat guy and do the work every single day, making corrections, cleaning up footwork and things like that," he said. "Just learning the defense and stuff and just getting everybody ready."

Hawkins is the Giants' other third-day defensive back selection, a sixth-round corner from Old Dominion who said his best attribute is his physicality.

"I'm physical," he said. "I'm versatile. I can play anywhere in the back end, and my speed, length and strength (are also attributes).

"I guess I would say I was kind of born with it (his physicality), growing up with older cousins and you're kind of getting picked on. You've got to be kind of the tough dog out of the little family. I kind of was born with it, kind of groomed into it."

Hawkins played two years at Trinity Valley Community College in his native Texas before transferring to Old Dominion, where he started all 25 games the last two years. He totaled 133 tackles (98 solo), including five stops for loss, two interceptions, 13 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. His 76 tackles in 2021 were a school record for a cornerback.

Though he was selected 209th overall in the draft, Hawkins doesn't lack for confidence.

"I could see myself playing anywhere in the NFL," he said. "I can fit any scheme."

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