Giants’ Defensive Tackle Takes on New Role at Fullback in Training Camp

At training camp this week, the Giants tried something new. They put Elijah Chatman, their 278-pound defensive tackle, at fullback for red zone plays. His teammates watched in awe as he cleared paths through the defense.

"Lovely, lovely," said running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., according to Sports Illustrated. "You ever seen him in a squat room? Yeah, see him under a squat rack. Yeah, that's lovely. Just let me tell you that."

The SMU product faces stiff odds to stick with the team after their offseason additions up front. Yet his past shows promise: he played both sides of the ball in college, spending 44 snaps as a fullback.

Stats back up his blocking skills. Last year, he earned an outstanding 85.4 grade from Pro Football Focus when clearing running lanes. He blocked well on 19 run plays and held firm in pass protection four times.

His first NFL year showed what he could do. Through all 17 games, he made plays: 21 tackles, knocked down the quarterback three times, grabbed a loose ball, and took down runners behind the line twice. He even got to the quarterback for a sack.

Brian Daboll's Giants haven't kept a true fullback. Jakob Johnson came closest, moving between the active roster and practice squad last year.

Back in high school, Chatman ran wild. He rushed for more than 1,600 yards before switching to defense when he got to college.

This two-way skill could be gold for the Giants. With one player filling two spots, they'd save room on the roster. It's like getting two players for the price of one.

Standing just 6 feet tall, Chatman beat the odds last year. He turned a simple tryout into a full season of NFL football through pure grit and determination.