How TJ Brunson is getting ready for his rookie season with New York Giants
It’s been anything but a normal offseason as T.J. Brunson gets ready for his rookie season in the National Football League.
The coronavirus altered Brunson and other NFL hopefuls’ plans for in-person workouts and pre-draft meetings with NFL teams. Since April’s draft, in which the New York Giants selected Brunson in the seventh round, the former Richland Northeast and South Carolina standout has been working out on his own without the benefits of organized training activities.
“It has been extremely different considering what people went through last year. Everyone is trying to find out a system and program that works for them,” Brunson said the recent InfiniT Camp at Ben Lippen. “Everyone is doing the best they can with the resources they have to do things as normal as possible.
“I can’t say it has been super difficult, but we are finding ways to adapt to the situation.”
Brunson has been back in Columbia training after working out in Tampa, Florida before the draft. He spent time at InfiniT Camp teaching and working with athletes who attended.
Brunson has been meeting with Giants coaches on a regular basis on Zoom video meetings. The Giants report to training camp July 28. Brunson still hasn’t been to New York yet or found a place to live.
“I have been working on a lot of mobility and working on the field and making sure I can put the best product out there when I get out there,” Brunson said.
Brunson’s size (he’s 6-foot-1, 229 pounds) was the biggest concern by NFL scouts. But the Giants liked what they saw from him and he was one of four linebackers taken by New York during the draft.
New Giants coach Joe Judge raved about Brunson’s tackling ability and his communication skills following the draft. Giants’ general manager Dave Gettleman loved Brunson’s versatility and thinks he offers plenty of value for the roster.
“He’s fast, he’s really athletic, he’s got good instincts. He’s just a little bit on the small side but he plays at about 230,” Gettleman told reporters of Brunson following the draft. “We feel like he will be a really good fit and also has a lot of special teams value.”
Brunson, the first recruit Will Muschamp visited when he took over in 2015, played more than 2,500 snaps during his Gamecocks career. He broke into the lineup next to Skai Moore in 2017, making 88 tackles.
He jumped past the 100-tackle mark the next year, posting 10 1/2 tackles for loss and four sacks. As a senior, he moved over to the weakside to open things up for Ernest Jones in the middle.
Brunson had more coverage responsibilities, breaking up five passes and picking one off to go with 77 tackles.
Now he’s ready for the next step in his playing career.
“Just looking forward to starting a new chapter. It is something I have been working forward to for a long time,” Brunson said. “I look forward to seeing the fruits of my labor in a sense. I am looking forward to the opportunity.”
This story was originally published July 14, 2020 at 9:40 AM.
