The Giants liked what they saw from Elijah Chatman during his two-day rookie minicamp and signed the diminutive, strong defensive tackle to their 90-man training camp roster.
Chatman, 23, went undrafted in 2023 out of Southern Methodist University, where he was a four-year starter and played five seasons.
He played in 56 games, totaling 148 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 33 lost tackles, and five fumble recoveries, including one returned for a touchdown.
At 6 feet tall and 278 pounds, Chatman is not the typical size for an inside defensive lineman.
He was nicknamed “Baby Bison” and did well enough to earn a contract against other rookies.
More than 50 players participated in the minicamp in a tryout format.
Coach Brian Daboll spent a lot of time on the field talking during two practices with the six players the Giants selected in the NFL Draft, but that’s because he wasn’t paying attention to the tryout players. It doesn’t mean that.
“That’s why we record every practice and spend time after practice,” Daboll said. “You look at the tape. Usually you tell coaches when training camp starts, but even in a camp like that, don’t evaluate right away, it’s not just one day, but here it’s two days. We’ve finished the first day, so we’ll watch them practice here and then make a final decision.”
