HOUSTON — Logan Ryan has a pretty good dig for Eli Apple whenever they talk.
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“I’m telling him he needs to get a driver’s license,” the Patriots cornerback said with a smile Wednesday after New England’s first pre-Super Bowl LI practice. “That’ll help him. The kid doesn’t even drive, and he’s playing pretty good ball at the NFL level.”
Ryan is kidding, but his point is well-taken. Apple, who just completed his rookie season as one of the Giants’ starting cornerbacks, only turned 21 in August. Ryan, who has trained with Apple for years (they both hail from Voorhees, N.J., and starred at Eastern High), was impressed Apple was able to step right in and be a solid corner for the Giants despite his youth and inexperience at an “extremely hard” position.
“You’re covering great athletes going backwards, and quarterbacks are a huge step above college. You can get away with things in college where quarterbacks can’t make the throws,” said Ryan, a former Rutgers standout. “But the quarterbacks, especially in that division, can make the throws. It’s a tough game every game.
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“There’s no easy Division 2, 1-AA opponents. You’ve got to bring it every week, bring it every game, and as a young guy, you get picked on. They go at you. Especially when you play across from Janoris (Jenkins). I think he handled himself extremely well, and he looked good with confidence and class.”
Ryan said he and Apple plan to train together in Arizona this offseason. Ryan feels those workouts will be key to Apple’s further development.
“The more he does that, I think the better he’ll be,” Ryan said. “The speed of the game is extremely fast at this level, and I think he did a good job of adjusting to that right away. It’s the mental side that comes with experience.
“From what I was able to see, I think he did well for himself. He’s a lot better than I was at that age. … I think the future is bright for him.
James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.
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