Ryan Nassib shows poise in Giants' rookie camp

Rookie quarterback Ryan Nassib looks downfield under the watchful eye of Giants coach Tom Coughlin.

Julio Cortez/AP

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Ryan Nassib hasn't been anywhere close to perfect in his first few days on the field as the New York Giants' quarterback of the future.

The fourth-round draft pick from Syracuse came up horribly short on a long go pattern during Friday's start to the two-day minicamp for rookies and free agents. He later lacked touch on a pass over the middle and then threw an interception.

First-day jitters is the best way to describe it. They were gone Saturday when Nassib showed why the Giants' made a trade to move up six spots to grab a potential successor to Eli Manning.

Nassib hit a long pass to Brandon Collins, made a couple of other perfect throws and showed good command in running an offense that he's still learning.

"Yeah. I definitely felt a little bit more comfortable as these practices have been going on," Nassib said Saturday after the morning workout. "I'm starting to get the terminology down. I'm sure it's nowhere near as much as what the whole playbook is, but I'm getting the. baby steps really and I'm just glad I got this extra time and going with the rookie minicamp to actually study it."

Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride was impressed how well Nassib did on Friday in the huddle.

"First day out he did a pretty good job of mastering just the nomenclature, the terminology," Gilbride said. "He didn't seem overly confused by what we're trying to do. There's so much thinking going on. It's hard to execute at a level that I'm sure we're going to see down the road, but really for the first day, he did pretty good."

The 23-year-old Nassib has an uncertain immediate future with the Giants. He clearly is someone management feels has a chance to be the quarterback of the future, but the reality remains that Manning is in his prime and he doesn't miss any snaps.

The two-time Super Bowl MVP has started 135 straight regular-season games and 11 consecutive postseason contests. The last player to start for New York other than Manning was Kurt Warner in 2004.

Nassib, who will battle veteran David Carr for the No. 2 job, has not spoken with the coaches about either his role or what their expectations are. When he hasn't been on the field the past two days, he has worked out in the weight room, studied his playbook and gone to meetings.

If there was a thrill, it was being in the locker room for the first time. He has one of the temporary lockers put up in the middle of the room, roughly 20 feet from Manning's locker.

The two spoke by telephone after the draft, Nassib said, who got a couple of laughs telling the story.

When the call came through, he did not recognize the number. Normally, he doesn't answer those type of calls, but since the number had a New Jersey area code and came after the draft, he answered.

"He just gave me the head's up about some things and just getting to know each other a little bit and I'm really looking forward to working with him," Nassib said.

In a way, the Giants made Nassib comfortable for the minicamp bringing in three other Syracuse players, offensive tackle Justin Pugh, their first round pick, receiver Marcus Sales and tight end Nick Provo, both free agents. Nassib has completed passes to both players.

"I think probably that one of the things that continues to grow on you is the way the quarterback is," coach Tom Coughlin. "He responded to a new system - first time ever and was showing some ability to lead in the huddle and the huddle pays attention to him."

Nassib completed 791 of 1,312 passes for 9,190 yards and 70 touchdown passes with the Orange, leading them to 21 wins in three seasons as a starter. His best season was his last, when he threw for 3,749 yards, 26 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions.