Giants' Will Hernandez hopes to learn from Kevin Zeitler
Giants guard Will Hernandez speaks to the media during minicamp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, N.J., on Wednesday. Credit: Brad Penner
Will Hernandez had heard the name before, but it wasn’t until the Giants pulled the trigger and actually traded for Kevin Zeitler that he decided he would watch some film of the former Browns guard.
“Right away he caught my attention,” Hernandez said on Wednesday. “I was like, ‘This is a guy I can get better with.’”
The two actually have a lot in common, even if Hernandez didn’t know it until recently. Both are strong, feisty, competitive interior linemen. Both bring a no-nonsense attitude to the meeting room and the practice field.
Hernandez said the similarities helped reinforce in his own mind that he was doing things the right way early in his career.
“I definitely look up to him,” he said. “After playing eight years in the league, obviously it’s worked for him. I try to learn from him as much as I can because he’s definitely knowledgeable and a great player.”
Zeitler said he likes what he’s seen from Hernandez so far too.
“Strong, very, very strong,” he said of the second-year player. “He’s a good young guard. I think he can be special… He wants to work, he wants to get better every day. I think that’s just the basis of someone who wants to be good in this league.”
And now they have each other to help in their journeys there.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
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