Giants Add Patriots Special Teams Ace Nate Ebner

New Giants head coach Joe Judge is reuniting with one of his core special teams players from his days with the Patriots, as the Giants have reportedly agreed to terms on a one-year contract with safety Nate Ebner.

The 6-foot, 215-pound Ebner was a 2012 Patriots sixth-round draft pick out of Ohio State. Ebner initially began his college career as a rugby player, a sport in which he excelled.

In his junior year, Ebner was a walk-on for the Buckeyes football program. By his senior season, he had earned a football scholarship his senior year, based on his special teams play.

He recorded 11 tackles on special teams in 2011 and was voted the team’s most inspirational player. He also was named the Buckeyes' best special teams player that season.

Despite being drafted to play football, Ebner still competed in rugby as a rookie under contract for the Patriots. In 2016 despite being under contract to the Patriots, he participated in Team USA in rugby sevens at that year's Summer Olympics.

The 31-year-old has played in 127 regular-season and postseason games but has never started. He's contributed 98 tackles to the Patriots' special teams and recorded at least 10 special teams tackles in six of his eight seasons during the regular season.

This past season, Ebner finished second on the Patriots special teams in total tackles, behind Matthew Slater. Ebner, Slater, J.C. Jackson and Brandon Bolden also recorded a blocked kick for the Patriots last season.