EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Heading into this season, there were some question marks about the depth of the New York Giants' secondary. Currently, there are 15 players on the roster who play either cornerback or safety.
The strong suit of the secondary is veteran Pro Bowlers Janoris Jenkins at corner and Landon Collins at safety, coupled with the reemergence of Eli Apple.
Lesser known is Orion Stewart.
Stewart is in year two in the league after playing for the Baylor Bears for four years. He had 239 tackles, 24 pass breakups and 12 interceptions in his time at Baylor. From there, Stewart was undrafted in the 2017 NFL draft. He originally signed with the Denver Broncos, but was cut right before the start of the season. Stewart also spent time on the Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins practice squads.
After bouncing around from team to team, Stewart is happy to have the opportunity to be apart of the Giants.
"Of course, I didn't like the bouncing around so, you know, got to try and change that up this year. I'm definitely glad to be here as an organization," Stewart said. "I could see the fans love it here. They all show up to camp."
"I could definitely tell this is a good place to be."
For most of his career, Stewart has played safety. However, for the Giants, he's considered the broader term of defensive back. Stewart feels he could play wherever they need him to play.
"Versatility is one thing I have kind of been high on my whole career," Stewart said. "Being able to tackle, being able to cover, that's one thing I've prided myself on and what kind of safety I want to be. I don't just want to be one type of safety, so I definitely think if they move me around I can play different positions."
Throughout the early part of training camp, Stewart has played well. He even made a highlight interception against quarterback Alex Tanney. As a defensive back, he just wants to get his hands on the ball.
"That was big, just getting your hands on the ball, especially as a defensive player," Stewart said. "Getting your hands on the ball, that was definitely a big moment for me."
And it's easy to know when the DBs make a play, because they are easily the loudest unit on the field.
"I feel like I've a very vocal player," says Stewart. "When I'm on the field, I'm very energized, so that kind of just falls right in my bowl."
Stewart is taking advantage of veterans like Jenkins and Collins in an effort to elevate his game.
"Just picking knowledge from them, getting certain cues and certain keys to read or just getting a feel for the game."
When the time comes for Stewart's number to be called, he'll be ready to go and ready to make a play.
