Giants’ Ballentine rewarded for picking on Daniel Jones

Corey Ballentine would like Daniel Jones to know that it’s nothing personal.

They are both rookies, just trying to find their way, so Ballentine hasn’t given Jones too much grief about the two interceptions he has against him early in training camp. But when Jones brought up the subject recently, Ballentine had to oblige.

“Corey, you got me,” Jones told Ballentine as they were walking to lunch.

“I had to do it. I couldn’t let you — I didn’t have any other choice,” Ballentine replied, bursting out laughing Monday as he retold the story.

The Giants hope one day Ballentine will be picking off quarterbacks wearing a different jersey. In the meantime, making an impact every day in camp will have to suffice for the sixth-round pick who got a late start to his NFL career after he and his best friend were shot while leaving a party the night of the draft in April. His best friend, Dwane Simmons, did not survive. Ballentine did, and now is making the most of his opportunities.

Ballentine was the star of Saturday’s practice, picking off Jones for the second time and adding a pair of pass breakups. After Sunday’s day off, the cornerback was rewarded Monday by getting some reps with the first-team defense, lining up across from Eli Manning and covering Sterling Shepard.

“I feel like I’m definitely catching up,” Ballentine said after practice. “Things are slowing down for me as I’m getting more reps. I think I learn by doing more than I do seeing and hearing. So the more I go out there and do it — even though I do mess up sometimes, I know what not to do now.”

Asked if Jones was getting tired of seeing him yet, Ballentine smiled wide.

“He might be, but look, he’s going to have to get used to it,” he said. “I’m going to be out there.”

Ballentine thinks he may have caught Alonzo Russell by surprise on Saturday’s interception. The 6-foot-4 wide receiver has 4 inches on him, but Ballentine leaped and stole the ball away for an end-zone interception on a fade route.

“I think they threw that jump ball because they thought they had the height advantage. But they must not know my vertical,” Ballentine, who had the 15th-best vertical at the NFL combine at 39 ¹/₂ inches, said with a laugh. “But I’m definitely up for the challenge. … I enjoy the competition. I’m looking forward to it, I’m not shying away from any of that.”

With fellow cornerback Sam Beal sidelined by a hamstring injury for most of camp, there are more reps available for the taking. Ballentine has often been pulling double duty, mostly with the second- and third-team defenses before running with the ones and twos on Monday. Janoris Jenkins and fellow rookie DeAndre Baker appear to have the top two outside cornerback spots taken, but Ballentine joined them at times Monday with Jenkins moving to the slot.

Ballentine may have been a long shot coming in, especially getting drafted out of Division II Washburn University, but he has been noticed each day in practice as he gets more comfortable.

“It took him a little while to get going because of the accident he was involved with, but he’s made steady improvement,” head coach Pat Shurmur said. “He’s a very competitive guy. He gets his hands on balls. He’s got good instincts. … We feel like he’s getting a little bit better every day.”

The biggest opportunity yet awaits on Thursday in the preseason opener against the Jets at MetLife Stadium. Ballentine has never been to an NFL game, so his first will also be the first one he plays in.

“Keeping all those emotions in check will be hard, but I think I’m made for it,” he said. “I can handle it.”

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