[jwplayer XxxCES6k]
What are the odds that an NFL team has two players with the same nickname?
Well, the New York Giants are experiencing that this summer at camp. Last year, when the media was still learning how to pronounce the name of Old Dominion edge rusher Oshane Ximines, a reporter (believed to be Chris Bisignano of The Giant Insider) gave him the name “X-Man.”
This summer, the Giants have another player with an X in their name, Alabama safety Xavier McKinney, who they selected with the 36th overall pick in this year’s draft. He has also been called “X” by his coaches and teammates.
Now comes the question of who will be known by what nickname. Ximines says not to worry.
“We both have it,” Ximines said on Sunday. “We’re both the X-man. X is a good guy, I like him.”
Asked if he really calls McKinney “X,” Ximines confirmed that he does.
“Yes, I do call him X,” Ximines added.
Whatever names the Giants decided to call them by or what they end up calling each other, the two players are expected to play key roles on the Giants’ defense this season.
Both players know the team is leaning on them to continue learning and fast as the season is less than a month away. Ximinies will be likely used in a rotational role at outside linebacker and perhaps even at defensive end along with veterans Marcus Golden and Kyler Fackrell.
“Rookie year was great, I learned a lot of things,” Ximines said. “In year two I’m just looking to do whatever I have to do to help the team win. Coming in learning the playbook and doing whatever I have to do every single day. Getting better and being an asset to the team. After playing a full season I kind of already know what to expect when it comes to camp and different schemes on the field and things like that. It’s good going into year two, you feel a lot more comfortable.”
McKinney is being asked to step in and help bolster a secondary that looked like the Keystone Cops last year. Jabrill Peppers will be one safety and currently Julian Love, a fourth rounder out of Notre Dame last year, is the other. The plan is to have McKinney supplant one of them as a starter this year. A good problem to have, one would think.
“I’m just trying to get better each and every day. I’m not exactly where I want to be right now,” McKinney told reporters Sunday. “Whatever role they want me to play, whatever they want me to do so that the team is successful, then I’ll make sure I do that. My main focus as a rookie is trying to get better. Try to earn the respect of my teammates, try to earn the trust of my teammates. That’s what I’m going to do.”
That aside, McKinney is determined to make his mark this season for the Giants. At the moment, he’s his most staunch critic.
“(I am) never satisfied,” he said. “That’s my biggest thing right now. For me, I know what I can do. I know what I’m capable of. A lot of the times I go back and watch my film and when we watch film as a team, I always study and see what I did wrong and what I can do better so I can improve on a play. Whether it’s a down or whoever I’m guarding, I try to make sure I key on that every time I watch film.”
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