The real audition for Nick Gates begins now.
His preparation for this moment has been ongoing, but with the Giants taking the practice field for the first fully padded practice of training camp Monday, Gates is about to get the chance to show what he can do at a position he has never played in a game.
Yes, you read that right: Gates has never played center in a game. At any level.
But there's confidence within the Giants' organization the undrafted offensive lineman from Nebraska can turn his experience at tackle and guard into a foundation on which to build at a new position - and a critical one both short and long term - for Big Blue.
"He’s the alpha male that you want at the position. He owns it," Giants offensive line coach Marc Colombo said of Gates. "That’s what you love about Nick. He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s versatile. He can play any position on the offensive line, which is a huge plus for this organization. Just love the kid so far. He’s done a good job. We have a ways to go. Again, we’re just getting started here, but love a lot of things we’ve seen from him so far. He’s getting a good share of reps at center. We’ll see soon. Again, we haven’t put on the pads yet. Once we put on the pads, a lot of things are going to reveal themselves."
That revelation project begins Monday morning when the Giants hit the field for their first padded practice of training camp. At some point, Gates will be the center of attention, and how he fares will be closely monitored, considering the spot is up for grabs.
Gates, 24, signed a two-year contract extension worth $6.8 million in base salary that could hit a potential $10.3 million with incentives.
If Gates can emerge as a solid starter at center, the Giants could say they have four out of five long-term starters on the roster, all under the age of 24 (left guard Will Hernandez, Gates, first-round rookie Andrew Thomas and third-round rookie Matt Peart) with fifth-round rookie guard Shane Lemieux as a potential replacement for veteran right guard Zeitler down the road. This would be a huge boost for a team that has been searching for offensive line answers for a long, long time.
Transitioning in a snap
Kevin Boothe won Super Bowl XLVI with the Giants, and he knows from personal experience exactly what Gates is up against. The nine-year veteran only played tackle and guard until he started taking a rep here and there at center in practice in 2009, just to take his versatility to another level and serve as an emergency option to the, well, emergency option at the position.
"I took a rep or two in scout team, or when the practice squad quarterback needed a center, but that's pretty much it," said Boothe, who started six games at center during the team's run to Super Bowl XLVI in 2011.
Boothe believes the transition to center is a mental one, and not solely from the perspective of the playbook, the knowledge of which is obviously imperative.
"We probably make too much of snapping the ball, because I think once you get comfortable, and it can happen pretty quickly, I don't think that's a physical thing, as long as you develop the process and repeat it over and over again," Boothe added. "Snapping in the 'gun [shotgun] is different, and that's where I had some issues. You need to stay sound fundamentally, or the yips creep in, like a catcher or a fielder in baseball. That's something where, the more you do it, the more natural in becomes."
Consider what former Giants coach Pat Shurmur said last season about Gates, praising what looms as his most promising quality: a feel for the game.
“You have to have a feel for blocking the right guy and if the right guy is not there, then you hit the first guy and all those things happen. That's what Nick has, and so, at some point, he will be a starter, he's a football player,” Shurmur said. “That's why the guys that win the longest drive competitions aren't always the best total golfers. There's a feel for playing the game, and Nick has that feel."
Gates provides more play strength than veteran Spencer Pulley, who has the advantage of actually playing the position in the league. It's likely Pulley and Gates compete at center for the remainder of camp, while Gates may also factor in at right tackle, where another veteran in Cam Fleming and third-round rookie Matt Peart should compete as well.
"We’re looking for centers that can anchor the middle," Colombo said. "One of the biggest things is getting depth right off the bat at center, just so he can kind of be the ultimate helper in there. It’s working his set. It’s working the depth of his sets, it’s working the calls, the line stunts, that type of stuff. He just has to see it all. Again, he’s new to the position, so he’s seeing stuff for the first time. As we get him more reps and give him more looks, he’s going to become more confident. That’s on us coaches to keep giving him and keep pushing him and challenging him every day as he keeps getting better. That’s something that we try to do every single day."
Gates appears to be up for the challenge.
"When I hurt my foot in training camp [as a rookie in 2018], the Giants could have released me with a settlement and sent me on my way," Gates told NorthJersey.com and USA TODAY Network last December. "I'm not sure where I'd be if they did that, and I really struggled early, so I thought it was headed in that direction. But they stuck with me, and I worked at it as hard as I can. Now I can see a future here. I've gotten a lot better and I know I can contribute, but I'm going to keep improving, keep getting better and when next year comes, I'll be ready to step in and step up in whatever spot is needed so this team can win."
Art Stapleton is the Giants beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Giants analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and sign up for our NFC East newsletter.
Email: stapleton@northjersey.com Twitter: @art_stapleton
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'He’s the alpha male you want' - Nick Gates owning chance so far on NY Giants' center stage - NorthJersey.com
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