Julian Love Welcomes Variety in Defensive Roles

Giants defensive back Julian Love made his presence known during the team's first training camp scrimmage by ripping an interception away from veteran wide receiver Golden Tate in the end zone.

For Love, the pick would seem to give him and the Giants' coaches something to feel good about. But even after making the play, Love was still fixated on what he could have done better.

“(I was) playing through the hands and really being aggressive trying to rip that thing out,” Love said in recalling the play. “That was a good finish (but) I wanted to be in a better position to start.”

Love's mentality is a clear reflection of the defense's desire to get better every day in 2020. And in helping the unit achieve that goal, Love is all too happy to be a man of multiple roles as needed by defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

Being Mr. Multiple is nothing new for Love. According to Pro Football Focus, as a rookie, Love saw snaps as a slot corner, wide corner, free safety, box safety, and the defensive line last year.

And if Graham wants Love to be a man without a set position, well, he’s all for it.

"My mindset at all times is 'Whatever they want from me I'm going to play,'" Love said. "I've bounced around positions my whole life in the defensive backfield and it's no different now, no matter where I'm at or how old I am I'm always ready to play whatever."

Love was drafted as a cornerback in the fifth round out of Notre Dame in 2019 and was initially projected as a nickel corner at the NFL level.

But after safety Jabrill Peppers went down with an injury during the Giants' Week 11 game against the Chicago Bears, Love was thrust into the team's starting strong safety role.

Love said that the moment was crucial for his development.

"I just tried to stay ready for whenever my time was going to come," Love said. "My whole mindset was to stay ready and it always is. Stay ready, stay aware."

Love finished the season starting the Giants' remaining five games, racking up 35 total tackles including five for loss, three passes defended, and one interception.

Given Love's strong finish to his rookie season, many thought he might be in line to start alongside Peppers in the base defense this year. While it’s still early in the process, Love’s versatility combined with eh arrival of rookie Xavier McKinney in the second round of this year’s draft and the versatility offered by Peppers gives Graham unlimited possibilities regarding personnel packages.

Love has treated every Giants practice this summer as a regular-season game, which means he's gone through his usual, so he gets himself int eh right mindset to compete. He revealed that he woke up and arrived at the team’s temporary training camp headquarters over at MetLife Stadium earlier than usual so trainers could stretch him.

He then went through his usual pregame routine, which includes listening to music and playing Sudoku.

When the games start for real, Love will likely have a better idea of his specific role in the game plan each week. And wherever that role does end up being, doesn’t matter to Love just so long as he has a place on the field on Sunday.

“I think it’s a special thing,” Love said of being in a defense that required different roles.

“I think we have very intelligent players who are capable of doing whatever is asked of them. That’s what we’re pushing, to really be there for each other. When adversity strikes, we just want to make sure everyone is ready. I think it’s been exciting for all of us to take on this challenge.”

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